Pats Win, Get Bye

The Patriots defeated the Miami Dolphins yesterday 28-0 &, coupled with a Houston Texans defeat, the Pats reached the #2 seed with a record of 12-4. They & #1 seed Denver Broncos get byes while the Ravens host Indy & the Texans host the Bengals next weekend in the wild card round. It was nice to see Gronk back out there, even though he heavily favored his left arm. Considering that teams like Pittsburgh, New Orleans, New York, Chicago & Philly are nowhere to be found in the playoffs, it's a testiment to the Pats that they are playoff bound again. You might say that the Pats consistency in football reminds you of the Yankees making the playoffs every year in baseball. Yes, I said Yankees.

Is Napoli Out & LaRoche In?

Honestly, Adam LaRoche had 1 good year before his free agency & it happened to be last year. Chances of 33 HR's & 100 RBI are not likely again. At 33 years old do the Sox want to give LaRoche another Victorino-Napoli deal of 3 years, $39 million? I hope not. The Sox need to finalize Napoli as the right-handed hitter behing Ortiz. We don't need another lefty in the lineup. Right now protection for Ortiz is either Pedroia or Middlebrooks, neither of which is a #3 or #5 hitter. This is one short-term deal that I hope does not happen.

Hanrahan Official & He's the Closer

As soon as the Sox sent 4 players to Pittsburgh to get 2 in return, the word was made known that Joel Hanrahan, not Andrew Bailey, is the Sox new closer in 2013. I guess that takes the wondering out of the equation. If Hanrahan takes his walks per 9 innings back to his historical 2 versus last year's 5, he can be a beast of a closer. Bailey was a gamble that didn't pay off last year, but the Sox can still use him in a set-up role or as trade bait in a package of players to obtain a front-line starter. I still believe Ben has been stockpiling players to pull a big name deal via trade. Great to get Hanrahan though!

2013 Red Sox

My friend Bill caught up with me at a holiday party. He said, & I quote, "what the hell are the Red Sox doing overpaying by millions of dollars for these average players." I said to Bill the same thing I said awhile ago in a post on this year's hot stove. The Sox philosophy was no long term deals. That put them out of the running on Hamilton, Greinke & more recently Swisher & Jackson. Next, you can't look at the money because it's ridiculous for every signing. Is Victorino or Napoli worth $39 million? No, but that was the going rate for a contract limited to 3 years. Over the next couple of years you can expect to see several key additions to the big team from players now in the minors - Bogaerts, Bradley Jr., Brentz, de la Rosa, et al. The option for the Sox brass was to rush the kids up to majors or let them perculate a year or two longer so they are better prepared to stay when they arrive. Look at Middlebrooks. He took over for an injured Youk & never left. Every addition this year - Dempster, Gomes, Ross, Uehara, Victorino, Napoli, Hanrahan - they are all place holders until the kids come up. Don't forget the impressive dump of Beckett, Gonzalez, Crawford (& Punto!). The Sox need another year in 2013 to turn things around. As injuries crop up, as trades are made at the deadline in July & as the September call-ups occur, we will get a chance to see the future stars of the Sox for 2014 & beyond. I'm looking forward to seeing the transition.

Pats Squeak By Jags 23-16

It is easy to win when everything is working. If a pitcher has all of his pitches & can throw them in good spots for strikes, the hitters are in for a long day. But when everything is not perfect, when you struggle through a game, that's when you find out who you are. And Tom Brady & the Pats found out that they were able to win when they were not at their best. Not all teams have that ability. The Jags gave New England all they could handle, right up until the last play of the game. But the Pats were able to come away with a victory. You can expect Brady & Co. to be much better from here on end.

Merry Christmas!

A wish for happiness. A wish for peace in your lives. Be thankful for all the special people you know. And be good to others. Merry Christmas!

Swisher to Indians

I'll take Jonny Gomes for 2 years & $10 million versus Nich Swisher at 4 years & $56 million. Tito & the Indians shelled out big for the former Yankee 1B/OF. The deal includes a vesting option for a 5th year at $14 million. Not a bad payday for Nick Swisher. There is no recession & no concern about the fiscal cliff in MLB.

Hanrahan Deal Almost Done

The Sox are in the midst of finalizing a deal for Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan. The Sox will get Hanrahan plus one other player from the Pirates in exchange for 4 prospects from the Sox, all of the B caliber. Stolmy Pimental, a pitcher with potential, is the biggest name that the Sox give up. Working backwards the Sox can end games next year with Hanrahan, Uehara, Bailey & Tazawa. That certainly looks better than Aceves & Bard from last year. Good move, Ben. Now pull the big trade for a front line starting pitcher, would ya'!

Cody Ross to Arizona

Won't we miss that big smile from Cody Ross! One & done with the Red Sox. Ross signs a 3-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks for $26 million. It gives him security, so why not take it. The Sox earlier signing of Jonny Gomes at a cheaper rate may give the team the same production in the outfield. With Jackie Bradley, Jr. & Bryce Brentz in the wings the Sox did not want to go 3 years with Ross. So good luck, Cody! We enjoyed your short stay in Beantown.

Jackson Gets 4 Years, Garza May Be Traded

I look at Theo's signing of Edwin Jackson to a deal of 4 years, $52 million with the Cubs as a sign that Matt Garza may be up for sale. The Cubs commitment to Jackson, like every deal this year, is overpriced & ties up a bulk of their dollars. Garza will not resign with the Cubs when his deal is up, so Theo may move him via trade to stockpile up & coming talent. As long as the Sox don't have to part with a Jackie Bradley, Jr. or Xander Bogaerts, I'd do it. Garza is as close to a #1 starter as is still available.

Sox Interested in Joel Hanrahan

Yes, this would be a significant move if the Sox could pry all-star closer Joel Hanrahan out of Pittsburgh for guys like Aceves & Morales. That would also pave the way for extra parts like Iglesias, Saltie, Lavarnway, Bailey, Kalish, Nava, et al to be packaged into a trade for a front-line pitcher like a Felix Hernandez, Cliff Lee or Matt Garza. Other than Kyle Lohse, most other free agent pitchers have found homes & are off the market. Trade is the only way to upgrade at this point. Go for Hanrahan, Ben, then pull a big trade.

No News On Napoli

Mike Napoli has yet to attain finalized status as an official member of the 2013 Red Sox. Was it an issue with his physical? Probably, since the other signings of Victorino, Drew & Uehara went smoothly after their physicals. Most think that contract language is being worked out & that Napoli's deal will be final before the 1st of the year. Let's get 'er done.

Jets Eliminated

The J-E-T-S are out. A horrible loss in Tennessee ends their season after week 15 with 2 games left to play. Couldn't happen to a better group of mouthy underachievers. See you later, Rex!

Funerals Begin in Newtown

As funerals begin in Newtown, CT the questions surrounding the mass shootings continue to be debated. Should we reinstate an assault rifle ban? How about the parents? Why did the mother take her ill-adjusted son to the firing range to become proficient in shooting guns? Why were weapons not secured in the home? Why so many weapons in the first place? Where is the father in his son's life? Do we need an armed security guard at every school in the US? Can mental illness be addressed in a way that carries less of a stigma so parents & kids seek more treatment? All these questions are resonating throughout the country. And while crazy is still crazy, and no one can forsee every tragedy, I believe that President Obama was right in saying we just can't give up. We need to better protect our kids through a combination of any or all the above. It's time to act.

Sox Sign Stephen Drew

1-year, $9.5 million is all it took to sign Stephen Drew to play shortstop for the Sox in 2013. Another short-term deal to give Xander Bogaetz a chance to develop in the minors for one more year. Drew helped solidify the middle infield for the A's pennant run last season. What does this mean for Jose Iglesias? I think it means, Iglesias, along with Saltie, Lavarnway, Kalish, Nava & others may be available for a multi-player trade to bring Matt Garza or Felix Hernandez to the Sox rotation. If so, I like the signing of Drew.

Pats Give Away Game

3 plays down the stretch foiled a great comeback from 31-3 to 31-31. A poor cover job by the kickoff team. A poor tackle by Kyle Arrington. And a poor on-side kick with less than a minute left. Pats lose 41-34 & folks today have to be thinking that the 49'ers are for real. If I were the Pats, I would be anxious to get a 2nd shot at San Fran & see how things go without the multiple turnovers on offense. You can't give a good team freebies & that's what the Pats did.

R.A. Dickey to Toronto?

Who would of thought that the Toronto Blue Jays would be the team doing most of the wheeling & dealing in the AL East? New rumor is R.A. Dickey from the Mets going to Toronto for the Jays top prospect & others. It would be a 3 for 4 deal if it gets done. I'm not sure who is calling the shots over there, but you have to question some of the personnel that they are spending big bucks on. R.A. Dickey is 39 & coming of a Cy Young year which he will be hard pressed to repeat. Other signees from the Marlins are coming off injuries or have off-field &/or clubhouse issues. Good luck!

Athletes With Guns, Kids With Guns

The NFL has had its problems with football players & guns over the years. The murder-suicide tradegy in quiet Kansas City just 2 weeks ago is the most recent example. Now small Newtown, CT is the latest community hit by the ravages of guns (plural) in the hands of a disturbed young person. I can't imagine how life would change for my family without my 9-year old grandson. Or how life would change if my daughter who teaches would have been killed. Why does a part-time teacher purchase 2 hand guns & an assault rifle? Why does her 20-year old son feel the need to kill his mother & take away innocent lives at an elementary school? There are all kinds of questions that horrific incidents like this bring up. Gun control. Gun locks. Dealing with kids & their anger. We add the tradegy in Newtown to those events from Aurora & Columbine. Things need to change. I think it starts with parents setting an example & being responsible parents to their kids. I also think it's athletes setting an example for all the kids that look up to them. If we wait for the politicians in Washington to take action, we will be waiting a long time. And we can't afford another Newtown because it may be our community next.

Sox Moves Thus Far

Did you want to pay $125 million for Josh Hamilton? Did you want to pay $147 million for Zack Greinke? No. Absolutely not. So stop the hating! I'm tired of every sports columnist & every Boston reporter throwing crap all over the Red Sox's moves this hot stove. Call me the Freddy Smerlas of Red Sox Nation. And let's review what's happened. We got rid of dead weight & big money last year by jettisoning Beckett & Co. to Lalaland. We need a year or two to get the young prospects up to the major league level. We need place holders until the kids get here. Thus, David Ross, Jonny Gomes, Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino & Ryan Dempster come to town so far. If you are looking for the Sox to win the World Series next year, you will be disappointed. But from 2014 onward we should have a young & talented roster to compete for several years. Of course Ben can't come out & say we are bridging the gap in 2013. But anyone with an IQ higher than 10 knows that. By mid-season or during the September callups we should get a glimpse of Jackie Bradley, Jr., Xander Bogaetz & other talented youngsters. Give it a chance, people. Use your brain. Say it with me - 2013 is a bridge year. 2013 is a bridge year.

Rumor: Sox Sign Dempster

Rumors abound after the Shane Victorino press conference today that Ryan Dempster agreed to a 2 year, $26 million deal with the Red Sox. A friend of Kevin Millar's, Dempster is another one of those good clubhouse guys who can throw 180 to 200 innings a year. I'm OK with this signing because of the length. I'd still like to see Ben trade for a Gavin Floyd or another starting pitcher.

Rumor: Hamilton to Angels

One outlet has reported that Josh Hamilton is heading to the LA Angels for 5 years, $125 million. Looks like the Angels are trying to keep up with big brother LA Dodgers in their spending. No other team wanted to go more than 4 years, maybe even 3, due to Hamilton's durability issues & off-the-field issues. If this rumor is true, the Angels are taking a big gamble. We'll see if it pays off in World Series rings.

Sox & Dempster Talking Again

Sure. Right after I call Ryan Dempster a chicken to pitch in the AL the Sox are talking with him again. Maybe Milwaukee wasn't all that interested in Dempster after all. Cut your offer, Ben. You're in the driver's seat if he came back to you.

What's With Napoli?

The Red Sox have scrubbed 2 press conferences to announce the official signing of Mike Napoli. Speculation abounds that Napoli may have not passed his physical. Perhaps his contract is getting some additional medical wording added into it. Or maybe it's nothing. If his official signing isn't announced by end of week, you can bet that the Boston press will turn up the heat. More to come. There's always drama in Boston.

Youk A Yankee

Kevin Youkilis gave many years & many body parts to the Boston Red Sox during his career in Beantown. He was hit by pitch about 20 times per year. He played hard &, as a result, had different body parts bruised, broken & repaired. Youk was not the easiest guy to be around, but all in all gave a good effort whenever he stepped onto the field. Should Sox fans boo Youk next year? No. Will they? Sure. Unfortunately for Youk, the Yankees were one of the few teams who needed his services next year & he signed a 1-year deal for $12 million with the pinstripers. In fact, the Yankees took a page out of the Red Sox book by overpaying for 1-year until A-Rod's drug-infested body can recover from hip surgery. It's a 1-year gamble by the Yankees because Youk has not played a full season over the past 3 years due to his own injuries. Good luck, Youk, just not against the Sox.

Pats Stomp Texans

42-14 was the final, but the game was effectively over by halftime. Pats offense beat the heralded Texans defense & JJ Watt. Pats defense beat the Texans offense & Matt Schaub. Watt & his teammates could not rattle Tom Brady who picked them apart. The Texans did get pressure on Brady, but he stood tall & delivered. There was so much confusion on the Texans D that an uncovered Aaron Hernandez walked into the endzone vitually untouched after a hapless Houston defender left him unaccounted for in the red zone. And Matt Schaub was rattled & off his game all night, particularly after throwing a pick early in the game. You might say he choked. The Pats, now 10-3, control their own destiny as the current #2 seed. Nice job, Pats. Nice job.

Ellsbury for Cliff Lee

Wouldn't that have been interesting? Jacoby Ellsbury to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Cliff Lee. Lee had a down year in 2012 which means he will probably bounce back in 2013. He has 3 years left on his contract which fits perfectly for the Sox new philosophy. Lee can beat the Yankees as he showed when pitching for Texas. As Felger & Mazz said, good for the Red Sox for dangling Ells for good pitching. If Ben decides to leave shortstop by committee this year, pitching & perhap one more outfielder are the other key elements to rebuilding this team. Cliff Lee would have been an excellent fit. Maybe Ben should have thrown in a couple of extra catchers too.

Dempster to Milwaukee

Cluck, cluck, cluck! Chicken to pitch in the American League & turning down a 2-year, $25 million deal from the Red Sox Ryan Dempster is about to sign with the NL Milwaukee Brewers. Don't you want to challenge yourself & go against the best? Not if it means bad stats & less money. It's always about money. With Dempster chickening out now the Sox can turn their attention to guys like Jackson, Lohse, & other free agent arms, as well as look for trades for Dickey, King Felix & Garza. Let's be piggy & get two starters instead of one.

James Shields to KC

In a 7 player swap James Shields, ace of the Tampa Bay staff, will now be toiling the mound in Kansas City. Tampa was ready to part with their ace while the Red Sox decided not to part with Jon Lester. The soundness of this trade will depend how Wil Myers performs for Tampa at the big league level. If he's a Bryce Harper or Mike Trout, then the Sox missed out on trading for someone special.

Greinke to Dodgers

The bottomless money pit that is the LA Dodgers add free agent Zack Greinke to their roster for 6 years & a mere $146 million. Money can't buy you love, but the Dodgers are spending like the Yankees of old to buy a winning team. Let's hope that your TV money doesn't run out anytime soon with these multi-year player deals. Just ask the Yankees if they would do the A-Rod deal again.

Who's At Short?

Is it Jose Iglesias? Is a trade in the works for Stephen Drew? Will they bring up Xander Bogaetz? How about a utility guy like Pedro Ciriaco? The shortstop position has been & continues to be a hot potato for the Red Sox on an annual basis. This year will be no different. My preference would be Bogaetz for his bat (if he can hit at the big league level) & then Iglesias or Ciriaco for defense late in the game. I don't see the Sox overspending for this position when they have so many options internally. I'd rather have Ben focus on starting pitching. I still think there is a big trade out there that would include the addition of a quality starter. How many catchers do we need??

No Home Yet for Hamilton or Greinke

The 2 biggest free agents are homeless as of today. Josh Hamilton is reportedly involved in talks with the Rangers & Mariners, & probably several other teams. Zack Greinke is rumored to be heading to the LA Dodgers or Washington Nationals, & probably others as well. I take the hesitation on both guys to represent doubts about their durability, physical & mental make-up. Devoting $180 million over several years is a big gamble - as we know via Carl Crawford. Hamilton has crazy skills, but he also has personal demons with drugs & alcohol. Greinke is good, like a B+ grade, but he's not the A+ dependable starter that Sabathia & King Felix are, yet he will command that type of money. It will be interesting to see where these guys end up, how much & how long.

Sox Sign Bullpen Arm in Uehara

Koji Uehara has signed with the Boston Red Sox. He brings an experienced, late-innings bullpen arm to the mix. Uehara is 37 & he has pitched in the playoffs each of the last 2 years. It makes me wonder if Uehara & Tazawa are the 8th-9th inning guys & the Sox perhaps move Andrew Bailey as part of a big trade which includes Saltie & Ells. I think there are more big moves via trade to come.

Youk Gets $12 Million Offer from Pinstripes

Gotham is calling Kevin Youkilis. With A-Rod out for most of next season the Yankees have made a $12 million, 1-year deal to Youk to play 3B. Risky proposition for the Yanks as Youk himself has been often injured over the past several seasons & his numbers were down last year after a horrible start with the Sox. Maybe he will bounce back, but the Yankees continue to be stacked with 30 & 40 somethings on their roster. Can't you just see & hear Youk's first at-bat in Fenway as a Yankee!

Sox Get Flyin' Hawaiian

Shane Victorino becomes the newest Red Sox with what is becoming the standard Sox free agent contract - 3 years, $39 million. Victorino brings speed, defense, is a switch-hitter & can play Gold Glove center-field. This signing - like that of David Ross - begs the question of whether a big trade is in the works that would involve Saltie & Ells. The Sox don't need 4 catchers & 2 CF's. However, Victorino can also play right & could bring speed to the top of the order with he & Ells batting 1 & 2. Everyone is overpaid, but I consider this signing a good one. Now onto shortstop & pitching, Ben.

A-Rod To Get Surgery

As the dominos start to fall at the winter meetings, the Yankees reveal that A-Rod is getting hip surgery & will miss 2-3 months of the 2013 season. With 5 years & $114 million left on his contract A-Rod will be a major drain on the Yankees ability to attract the better free agents & to put together a contending team. Thank God the Red Sox unloaded their $260 million to the Dodgers!

Mike Napoli Signs With Sox

Mike Napoli is a Red Sox. He brings good OPS, versatility & power from the right side. The Sox identified Napoli early on & now they get him for 3-years. Good that they didn't have to go 4 years. This was a good move by the Sox who also keep Napoli out of pinstripes.

Pats Good Enough

Not a great game, but a win & another AFC East division championship. Pats did just enough to eke out a win 23-16 in Miami yesterday. Brady & Co. saved the best for last. Instead of the usual 3 & out when they need to sustain a drive & kill the clock, the Pats offense finally put together a 10+ play scoring drive to ice the victory. It was a good win on the road, especially since the Ravens lost. As one sports reporter said, early in the year maybe this turns into a loss. But the Pats are improving to the point now where they will be a serious playoff contender.

Jovan Belcher - NFL Player, Murderer

Domestic violence that ends with guns & murder. We see it on the news everyday. On Saturday Jevon Belcher of the Kansas City Chiefs shot & murdered a 22 year old woman who was his girl friend & the mother of his 3 month old daughter. Belcher then shot himself at Arrowhead Stadium, ending his own life at age 25. Now this baby starts her life with no parents. What a shame! Life is a gift. Walk away. Cool off. Talk to a friend. Get counseling. Stop the bloodshed.

David Wright Latest $100 Million Man

You might say that David Wright won Powerball, except that multi-year player contracts for a value of $100 mil plus are getting to be an everyday occurrence in MLB. Wright's deal is worth $138 million over the next 8 years. He will be 38 years old when this contract expires. I guess no one learned from the Red Sox mistakes with Carl Crawford, John Lackey, Josh Beckett & Adrian Gonzalez. Good luck to the Mets!

Sox Interested In Dempster & LaRoche

NESN reported that Ben Cherington & the Sox are kicking the tires on Ryan Dempster & Adam LaRoche. At his age Dempster might be a good fit for a short 2-year deal. LaRoche had a career year in Washington in 2012 & chances of duplicating his 100 RBI in 2013 is doubtful. However, both would fit the mold of 2 to 3 year guys that Larry told WEEI they are looking to do as deals versus the 7 & 8 years. I'd still like to see the Sox get in on a trade with the Cubs for Matt Garza & also make a 1-2 year offer to free agent Edwin Jackson. Both are 200 innings a year guys & both are younger options than Dempster.

Yanks Resign Pettitte, Mo; Martin Gone

The New York Yankees brought the band back together for another season with the signings of Andy Pettitte & Mo Rivera. Russell Martin, a Red Sox killer, escaped to Pittsburgh of all places for a 2-year contract worth $17 million. It's really mind boggling to see the dollars being thrown around. I'm wondering now if the Sox shouldn't offer $25 mil for 3 to 5 years in an effort to get Josh Hamilton. At least you would get a top producer in Hamilton when he is on the field.

Hall Calling for Clemens, Bonds & Sosa?

You are hearing the arguments pro & con. It should be about talent, not morals. If that was the case, why not let Pete Rose in? Some sportswriters are against ever letting any known or suspected PED user into the Hall. Maybe it should be somewhere in the middle. I don't have an all-encompassing magic answer. Each writer will vote with his or her own criteria & his or her own bias. I'd be surprised if Clemens gets in on his first year of eligibility & I'd be surprised if Bonds & Sosa ever get in.

Winter Meetings Next Week

If your brain works like mine, I have to think that the signings of David Ross & Jonny Gomes - 2 guys with good character & mediocre skills - are part of a bigger trade plan put in motion at the initial GM meeting in Palm Springs this past month. Maybe the groundwork was set to get a Felix Hernandez or a Joe Mauer. Other than Hamilton or Greinke, the Sox are stuck with overpaying for average talent on the free agent market. Examples this week: Jonathan Broxton - 3 years, $21 million; B.J. Upton - 5 years, $75 million. I think Ben & Co. knew that this was a poor free agent class & they did their due diligence to fill several roster holes via trading partners. It wouldn't surprise me if the Sox got 4 or 5 players via trade with a couple of different teams during next week's meetings in Nashville.

One Option: Go Young

I'm tired of seeing & hearing about mediocre players making $10 million or more a year. The Sox have Ortiz & Pedroia back which will bring the usual 3 million fans into an icon of a park, even if the team is rebuilding for another year. Instead of overpaying for a David Ross & Jonny Gomes, here's another option. Bring the kids up early! Why wait until 2014? Let them mature in the big leagues instead of Triple A. Try this lineup on for size: 1B - Mauro Gomez; 2B - Petey; 3B - Will Middlebrooks; SS - Xander Bogaerts; Utility - Pedro Ciriaco; LF - Bryce Brentz; CF - Ells or Jackie Bradley, Jr.; RF - Jonny Gomes or Ryan Sweeney; C - Ross & others. Starting pitchers: Lackey; Buck; Lester; Doubront; Matt Barnes. If we trade Lester & Lackey, try Allan Webster & Rubby de la Rosa. Why spend big money on guys who are place-holders for a year or two? That's my thought for today.

Lester for Myers?

Jon Lester is a starting left-handed pitcher coming off his worst season in the majors. Wil Myers is a young, power-hitting outfielder who tore up minor league pitching last year. Myers clubbed 37 HR's with 109 RBI. Would the Sox trade Lester to KC for Myers & perhaps others? Interesting talk. Myers could join a talented group of Sox prospects scheduled to hit the big team in 2014. Will the Sox opt for a youth movement & add Myers or stand pat & expect Lester to turn around his disappointing stats from 2012? The winds of change are swirling in Beantown. Maybe Ben feels that there are options within & outside the organization to piece together a rotation for 2013. This winter I think any change is good. Unless Lester was packaged up in a trade to Seattle for King Felix, I'd seriously consider this opportunity.

Sox Talking to Swisher

Finally, I heard via NESN that the Sox are having talks with Nick Swisher. As my podcast partner Steve said, "I don't like him." OK. Who does like anyone wearing pinstripes? However, after you get over the dislike, Swisher could be a nice complimentary piece to this team. He plays 1B & OF, 2 positions where we need help. As opposed to Mike Napoli whose possible addition creates a log jam at catcher, Swisher is also a switch hitter & he has played in the AL East. He hit 24 HR's last year, same as Napoli, & Swisher has a higher OPS. If it was my money & my decision, I think Swisher brings more versatility in the field & at the plate than Napoli. Who knows? Maybe Ben will sign both!

Brady Back to Good

At 3-3 I wrote that perhaps Tom Brady's better days were behind him. Now at 8-3 Brady has shown MVP stats over the past 5 wins. While football is a team game & yes, the defense has played better, it's all about Brady. If he is very good - like he has been over the past 5 games, the Pats win. I humbly eat crow. Tom Terrific is not done yet. And just maybe there is another run to the Super Bowl for the Pats with Tom at the helm.

Napoli Wants 4 Years

Sox offered 3. He wants 4. 31-year old Mike Napoli has the Sox, Yankees & Mariners bidding for his services, so why not ask for more. It's crazy that an average to a bit above-average player can command this type of dollars & years in a poor free agent class. But timing is everything. I'd say give it to him if Nick Swisher isn't available. Swisher has a better OPS & is a switch-hitter who can play 1B & OF. Napoli would be another catcher & 1B. Depends on where Ben is going with the rest of his makeover. A Napoli signing would be better than Ross & Gomes to date.

Pats Embarass Jets 49-19

Mark Sanchez, Rex Ryan & the entire Jets organization got annihilated by the New England Patriots in front of a Thanksgiving national audience. This loss will be hard for anyone associated with the Jets to bounce back from. Heads should & will roll. The Pats get an extended week to prepare for division foe Miami.

Jonny Gomes Coming to Boston

If you listen to our new podcast (which is up now), you won't hear Jonny Gomes' name. This signing of Gomes for 2-years, $10 million came out of the blue. So far Ben has added David Ross & Jonny Gomes to the 2013 roster. Not stellar additions by any means or measure. But I have faith that there is a bigger plan in place. Maybe we are gearing up for a blockbuster trade to get Felix Hernandez. NESN reported that the Sox are also interested in Kyle Lohse & Stephen Drew. At least I would feel like Ben is getting warmer to players who can help by signing those two guys. I'd be happier with 2 new arms for the starting rotation to join Buck, Lester, Sad Face Lackey & Doubront. We need 5 starters that can eat up more innings & save the bullpen. An ERA under 4.00 would be nice too.

Dominos Starting to Fall

Huroki Kuroda gets a 1-year, $15 million deal & returns to the Yankees in 2013. He was on my radar for Ben Cherington to sign a 1-year deal with to bolster the Sox rotation on a short-term basis. If Kuroda performs close to his 16 wins, 3.34 ERA & 200+ innings next year it would have been a good signing by the Yankees of the 38 year old. And Lance Berkman, a 36-year old first-baseman & outfielder, is being courted by the Red Sox & 3 other teams. Berkman is a switch-hitter, but has been often injured, including last year. Berkman was on Steve's list of possible candidates for the Sox to acquire during our latest podcast yesterday. I think that a younger version of Berkman would be Nick Swisher. Swisher is 31, a switch hitter & plays 1B-Of. I hope Ben is kicking the tires on Swisher as well. Finally, I wouldn't give up just yet on Mauro Gomes at 1B. He has a nice swing & there is always room for a hitter in the lineup. But the dominos are falling. If Kuroda was on Ben's list, it's time to go to Plan B. Jackson, Haren & Garza are still out there.

New Podcast

I think this will be one of the most fun podcasts we have ever done. For your holiday pleasure please listen to our new podcast which is being taped today. Gaff, Steve & I will play Ben Cherington & go through the trades & free agents that we will bring into Beantown for the 2012 roster. It should be uploaded to the blog, thanks to our tech guy Dave, by Turkey Day. Enjoy & have a great holiday!

Pats Win, Gronk Lost

It was a costly route of the Indy Colts as Tom Brady & Co. hung 59 points on the Colts D. Gronk fractures his left arm on an extra point & is out 4-6 weeks. This is a big blow for the Pats offense, but they should get Aaron Hernandez back for the Thanksgiving matchup against conference rivals the Jets. That will help, but the tandem of Rob & Aaron have seen limited time together on the field this year. Jets won on Sunday, so it will be another tough conference game in the Meadowlands.

Old Versus New

Tom Brady is the seasoned vet. Andrew Luck is the rookie sensation. Both meet for the first time today as the Pats host the Colts in a late afternoon game. Both teams are 6-3 & these QB's will make the game quite entertaining. There should be a lot of offense as neither defense has been consistent in stopping opponents. It will be Brady using multiple weapons to pick apart the Colts D versus Luck looking for big chunks of yards over the middle & going long on the Pats subpar secondary. Should be a fun afternoon. Edge to the Pats at home, winning 35-27.

Ben to Spend

Ben Cherington told a radio show yesterday that he expects the Red Sox to have one of the higher payrolls in baseball in 2013. He said the Sox will compete to keep arbitration-eligible players, add through free agency & take on salary via trades. With only $45 million committed to 2013 as of today that's a big statement & it indicates that there will be several additions to the roster in the near future. Ben needs to add a starting pitcher, corner outfielders, a first baseman & a shortstop. Please, Ben, just no long-term deals for Josh Hamilton or Zack Greinke.

Jason Bay Coming Back?

I have heard a few reports that the Red Sox are kicking the wheels on a return to Boston by Jason Bay. This guy has been a huge, I mean huge, disappointment for the New York Mets over his 4 years there. Injured much more than healthy. Let's not go backwards to go into the future. I'd rather see the Sox look into bringing both Upton brothers to Boston to play the outfield.

Toronto, Detroit Making Noise

Toronto Blue Jays, of all teams, take on huge payroll from the Marlins by trading for Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson & Jose Reyes. Johnson is the centerpiece of this trade & he has been injured. Big leap of faith for the Blue Jays ownership. I wouldn't spend that kind of money for these guys. And the Tigers reportedly have a 2-year deal with Torii Hunter. I guess Hunter wanted to go to a contender & he feels the Tigers are more of a playoff team than the Sox. I'm sure there are still plenty of average players like Hunter & Buehrle out there that the Sox could overpay for for a few years. However, Adam LaRoche is not one of the players I would like to see the Sox overpay for. I'd rather see a right-handed bat to compliment Ortiz.

Dodgers Interested in Youk

Why not? A big part of the 2012 Red Sox roster is already in Dodger blue. Why not add Youk to the mix? You have to wonder about the Dodgers money man spending top dollar for guys who may have their best years behind them. Their brass must need brand names in Lalaland to put people into the seats at Dodger Stadium. With big Albert over in Anaheim the Dodgers seem hell bent to spend & overspend on veterans. Thanks, Magic!

Mike Napoli Getting Looked At

Free agent Mike Napoli is getting looked at by both the Boston Red Sox & New York Yankees. So goes the current story from ESPN News. Both teams are doing their due diligence with background & medical evaluations on this versatile free agent. Napoli has a career batting average over .300 at Fenway Park. He can DH, play first & catch. His name surfaced early (with Torii Hunter) as a guy the Sox could sign for a few years until their minor leaguers matured. Napoli also has playoff experience with the Rangers. Seems to be a good fit. Go get him, Ben!

Pats Escape Close Call

One more completion by Ryan Fitzpatrick & it's a loss. Instead it was a miscommunication & a pick by Devon McCourty on a ball thrown directly to him with 30 seconds left in the game. Pats win 37-31. What's the old saying? An ugly win is better than a pretty loss. I think that line is very appropriate to describe Sunday's win over the Bills. The Bills penalized themselves & fumbled away the 1st half. The Pats defense followed suit in the 4th period with stupid penalty after stupid penalty. In the end it was a final mistake, a pick, that sealed the loss for the Bills. No Pats fans can be looking at this 6-3 record & say that they are comfortable that this team can go far in the playoffs - not right now. Not after Sunday.

Sox Sign David Ross As Backup Catcher

This is a head-scratcher. David Ross, a journeyman backup catcher, gets a 2-year deal for $6.2 million. Small money, but why is Ben going there? This means that either Saltie or Lavarnway will go. I can only hope that there is a trade in the works for a good pitcher or position player that includes one of the current catchers. Otherwise, Ross is a minor acquisition of no consequence.

Tuck Back As Bullpen Coach

Gary Tuck was retained as bullpen coach. It was well rumored that Tuck & Bobby V had no relationship last year. Tuck better go to charm school in the off-season because Farrell won't put up with any crap & it's obvious that Farrell is in charge when it comes to coaches this year. I kind of wish they would have made a clear sweep, but let's see how Tuck & Farrell do.

Juan Nieves Named Sox Pitching Coach

Good! A new name & a new face. Nieves was the bullpen coach for the White Sox for several years. He gets a promotion to pitching coach with the Red Sox. Maybe Lester, Buck, etc. can gain a new perspective from a new guy who worked closely with the White Sox pitching staff. I'm down with Nieves. Now let's sign some players.

D-Backs Looking to Move Justin Upton

Any team that needs an outfielder may want to have a chat with the Arizona Diamondbacks as they are entertaining offers for Justin Upton. Upton had a great 2011 & a so-so 2012. He has power & a good arm. His contract runs through 2015, so it would be a 3-year commitment. The Red Sox are one team looking to see how much they would have to give up in a trade. Other suitors include the Yankees, Rangers & Tigers. Upton might be an interesting guy for Ben to consider if Cody Ross & Torii Hunter do not materialize into a Red Sox uniform.

GM's Meeting in Palm Springs

It's like the start of a game, first inning, feeling each other out. At the GM's meeting this week Ben Cherington says he will begin conversations & start feeling out other GM's about players available via trade & what the Sox would have to give up in return. In addition, there will be several free agents & their reps peddling their wares to see how much interest they can garner from several teams. The initial talks here will help finalize deals at the winter meetings in December. Since the class of 2013 is not stellar maybe Ben will pull the trigger quickly & get a Torii Hunter, Cody Ross or Mike Napoli into the fold quickly. Hard to tell how the pace will go. But money talks & the Sox have plenty of cash.

Elections Over

I'm going off script here, but who isn't happy to see the elections over & all those TV ads finally done. No show was off limits, including sports shows. Now we can return to the usual ads for drugs & cars.

Sox, Ortiz Finalize Deal

2 years. $26 million in salary. Incentives which could push the deal to $30 million. Sounds like a win-win. It's done. Good business for both sides. Now it's time to acquire free agents &/or trade for better pitching. Boston's farm scouts will be under scrutiny to let management know when the next crop of youngsters will be major league ready. Probably 2014 by most accounts.

Glory Days Past Brady & Manning?

Tom Brady. Peyton Manning. 2 QB's synonymous with excellence at their position. But are their best days behind them? 4th quarters use to be the time that they excelled. Now, maybe 50% of the time, they just can't reach that extra gear to pull games out like in the old days. Can they get a team to the playoffs? Sure. Can they win it all in another Super Bowl? Maybe. It's not a lock anymore. We can still appreciate a good performance by both. Just seems like time & injuries have taken a step away from each of them. Little brother Eli has eclipsed both Brady & big brother Peyton in the past few years by delivering (lucky or not) when he needed to late in big games.

Dan Haren Waived By Angels

Here's another starting pitcher on the market. Dan Haren was owed $15.5 million which the Angels declined. A day after Ben Cherington said he would like to add a 5th starter from outside the organization along comes Haren. Lots of experience. Often injured. Maybe a 1-year deal with a club option for a 2nd at a modest price would do it. Don't forget Braden from the A's is available as another starter as well. This should be an interesting week. As a reminder, we also have the 2 starters from the Dodgers trade who may crack the rotation by mid-year. There are lots of possibilities. Ben just needs to sort them all out & add the best guy money-wise & for the shortest length of contract. Don't forget thay Kuroda & Jackson are coming off 1-year deals with the Yankees & Nationals too.

Ortiz Gets His Multi-Year Deal

Some outlets are reporting it's a done deal. Others are reporting that it's subject to a physical. But all outlets are reporting that David Ortiz has signed back on with the Boston Red Sox for 2 more years at $26 million. Big Papi gets his multi-year deal after 2 1-year deals. The Sox have their #3 or #4 hitter for a couple more years before finding his replacement. It's a win-win. This will certainly be #34's last contract with the Sox & he gets a 2nd year with no strings attached. That's respect for you. I hope Big Papi keeps his mouth shut now about no respect for the remainder of his time in Boston. Good job by Ben & Co.

Free Agency Starts Today

Today by 5 PM is the last day that clubs can tender offers to their free agents. Even the Sox don't have David Ortiz & Cody Ross back in the fold yet. After the 5 PM deadline today the players have until Wednesday to evaluate & accept any offer made by their current club. You would have thought that the Big Papi deal was a no-brainer, but talks will continue even after the deadline. The Sox need Ortiz more in 2013 than they did in 2012 with the departure of Adrian Gonzalez. I find it odd that something hasn't been worked out that is mutually acceptable to both sides.

More Relievers Are Available

Injuries to Joakim Soria (Royals) & Ryan Madson (Reds) led to the former closers being let go by their current teams. Neither pitched this year due to arm surgery. And Rafael Soriano (Yankees) - who closed in place of Mo Rivera this past year - declined his 3rd year with the pinstripes in search of a multi-year deal. Any of these guys could be late-inning bullpen relievers in addition to or in place of Andrew Bailey. I'm not sold on Bailey staying healthy for a whole year, so his closer's position (like everything else) should be reviewed by the Sox for an upgrade. Soria & Madson will be cheaper than Soriano due to their injuries. Just more names for Ben to consider this year.

Youk Is Available

Looking for a 1B?? Kevin Youkilis is available as the White Sox declined to pick-up his $13 million option. There is no chance that Youk would ever return to Boston, especially given the way he departed. I'd hate to see him play a utility role for the Yankees since A-Rod is no longer in good graces in Gotham. It will be interesting to see if Youk lands an everyday starting job somewhere. He can still help someone, maybe his native Cincinnati Reds.

Dallas Braden Opts for Free Agency

Who can't use another lefty starting pitcher? Dallas Braden (yes, the perfect game Dallas Braden of 2010) declined the A's offer to a minor league contract after 2 arms surgeries kept him out of action this past year. This guy fits the Red Sox profile of low cost, low risk & at age 29 he still has many good years left in that left arm. It would be quite unique to have 3 lefties in the starting rotation (Lester, Dubront, Braden), but why not? One thing about those A's is they draft excellent pitching. A small performance-incentivized contract would be all that's needed. C'mon, Ben. Start stockpiling arms for Spring Training. Braden is worth a shot.

Sox Steal Another Coach from Toronto

Brian Butterfield is the new 3B coach for the Red Sox. He & Farrell worked together in Toronto. I'm glad the Sox brass is allowing Farrell to surround himself with coaches he can work with. Let's also hope Butterfield doesn't run into as many outs in Boston as his runners did in Toronto. A native of Maine, Butterfield knows the AL East. I'm sure all the coaches will enjoy a better, more talented roster to work with than the players that they were given in Toronto - although Bautista & Encarnacion would look good in Red Sox uniforms!

Trades Versus Free Agent Signings

If you read between the lines on the Sox website, Ben Cherington is saying that this year's class of free agents is nothing to write home about. Yes, there is Zack Greinke & Josh Hamilton, neither of whom would be good fits in Boston. The Colorado Rockies may be looking to get out of their multi-year contract with Troy Tulowiski, but that would be a long-term deal like the Sox just got out from under this year with Gonzo, Crawford & Beckett for a guy who was injured all last year. That leads me to think there will be smaller free agent deals - like Torii Hunter, Mike Napoli - & perhaps bigger trades involving Ellsbury, Iglesias, Saltie & others. The Sox are already tamping down expectations for the hot stove. Money is not burning a hole in their pocket. Look for the best deals to come via creative trading.

Congrats to the Giants!

No it wasn't New York, not Boston, not either LA team, not Philadelphia, not Atlanta, not Washington. It was a repeat of 2 World Series rings in 3 years for a likable bunch of guys from San Francisco. Congrats to the Giants! I couldn't name you the Giants starters, but they played like a team with good pitching, good defense & just enough hitting - almost Tampa Bay-like. You have to be happy for ex-Sox Marco Scutaro who delivered the game-winning hit in the 10th. You have to be happy for Buster Posey after being out all of last year with an injury. Now we have 5 days before free agency can start.

Patriots in a Laugher

All I can say is it looked like it would be a long afternoon on the pitch in London after the 1st scoring drive by the Rams. But the Brady offense had everything working & it turned out to be a runaway win 45-7. Maybe the Pats can get some momentum going now.

Pats Kickoff in London

Is this really necessary? Does the NFL need to send 2 teams to London every year? Don't they know football in Europe is soccer? But similar to the MLB's need to send teams to Japan every year it's about money. Merchandising. Trying to get a following worldwide. Do you think the coaches & players are happy about this? No, it's just the usual money grab by owners who make too much money know. It's the equivalent of WalMart going for your last dollar. We can only hope it's a decent game.

Giants & 2007

The San Francisco Giants are teking a page out of the Red Sox scapbook from 2007. If you remember, the Colorado Rockies were as hot a team as possible in the playoffs. Unfortunately, they had to sit around & wait for the Boston team to beat Cleveland in 7 games. When the World Series started the Red Sox beat the Rockies in 4 straight. Seems like deja vu in looking at the 2012 world Series. The giants needed 7 games to come back on the Cards while the tigers waited for their opponent. And the layoff seems to have effected all aspects of the Tigers game. The Sox won 2 World Series in 4 years. The Giants came make it 2 in 3 years. Who would have picked the Giants to be one of the two last teams standing in Spring Training?

Bogar Out, Lovullo In

Tim Bogar is out as the Sox bench coach. Torey Lovullo, a lifelong friend of John Farrell's, is in. It makes sense. Farrell needs to surround himself with guys he is comfortable working with. This is something Bobby V never got a chance to do. While it's nice to see the new coaching staff taking shape I'd prefer to see movement in re-signing Big Papi & Cody Ross.

Justin Verlander & Kate Upton

TMZ reportedly found out why Justin Verlander was off his game on Wednesday night in San Francisco. It was because his rumored girlfriend was in the house. Kate Upton, the SI swimsuit model with curvacious proportions that spill out of tiny bikinis, was on hand to see her new man pitch. True? Who knows? But Verlander was certainly nothing like the Cy Young Award candidate that he is. Wouldn't Kate Upton distract you??

Sox Talking With Big Papi & Cody Ross

The Red Sox website confirms that management is in active negotiations to bring back David Ortiz & Cody Ross in 2013. Both should get some sort of multi-year deals with incentives or stipulations, particularly in Ortiz' case given his potential for more injuries at his age. To my way of thinking that is the next "to do" item on Ben's list of off-season necessities. Once Ortiz & Ross are back in the fold Ben can turn his attention to adding needed players in the starting rotation, bullpen, a shortstop, an outfielder & a middle-of-the-order bat. Some of those new players may come through free agency, but I would bet that there is a major trade coming that could involve Saltie, Ells or other prospects.

Names to Throw Around for Middle Order Guys

OK, I decided to play Ben & Larry today. My goal is to find a middle-of-the-order bat to compliment David Ortiz. Here are some names that I found after looking at 2012 stats for RBI, HR, slugging percentage, etc. See if you like any of these names - Jose Bautista (Toronto), Giancarlo Stanton (Miami), Edwin Encarnacion (Toronto), Josh Willingham (Minnesota), Nick Swisher (NYY), Torii Hunter (LA Angels), Chase Headley (San Diego) & Alfonso Soriano (CHC). I was looking for a right-hand bat to compliment Ortiz from the left. I think it is asking too much for a Will Middlebrooks, Ryan Lavarnway or Mauro Gomez to fill that spot. Same for Petey, Ells, Ross or Saltie. There was never an adequate solution after Adrian Gonzalez was traded.

Ozzie Canned in Miami

Some people just can't keep their mouths shut. Ozzie opened mouth, inserted foot when he said that Fidel Castro was a positive guy that he admired. Not good to say in Miami where Cubans who fled Fidel's dictatorship have very deep wounds. Way to alienate your fan base early in the year. And given the big money spent on guys who didn't produce, Ozzie wasn't long for job security. The Marlins fire Ozzie after 1 year of disappointment. Unlike the Red Sox who didn't spend this off-season, the Marlins spent a ton & got nothing in return except a new ballpark. Good bye Ozzie! Maybe you can put a muzzle on it at your next stop.

Scutaro to World Series

Old friend Marco Scutaro is in the World Series. He took a roundabout path to get there. Written in as the everyday shortstop for the Boston Red Sox during the pre-season he was traded before the season began to the Colorado Rockies. Part of a salary dump so reporters said. During the season he was traded again, this time from the Rockies to the San Francisco Giants. He is the everyday second-baseman for the Giants, a team that just completed a 3-game comeback on the St. Louis Cardinals to win the NLCS & Scutaro now faces the Detroit Tigers in the 2012 World Series. Good for him! If you are going to get traded twice in a season, you might as well end up on a team that contends & he did. The Giants get one day to catch their breath before the series starts on Wednesday. I'm rooting for the Tigers, though.

John Farrell Hired As Manager

It didn't take until November 1st as predicted. The extreme makeover in Boston continues as John Farrell gets a 3-year deal to be the new manager of the Red Sox. The Sox give up Mike Aviles & Chris Carpenter to the Blue Jays. It was obvious going back to last year that John Farrell made a big impression on management as someone who knew the lay of the land in Boston & could handle the heat. I wasn't for bringing back Farrell, but it's done & over so let's get behind him & see what he can do. He has to be an upgrade from Bobby V. And Farrell does know the AL East. He could be a comforting presence to Jon Lester & Clay Buchholz. Check the new manager item off your "to do" list, Ben, & let's keep the makeover going.

Ugly, But A Win

Another 4th quarter lead blown. Another poor offensive showing that took only 1 minute off the clock on 3 & out in the 4th. The only thing different from past losses is that Gostkowski kicked a tying field goal in regulation, then a winning FG in overtime. It was an ugly, ugly win for the Patriots against their division rival NY Jets. The only thing you can say is that it was a win &, at this point, we'll take it.

Sox Talking to Blue Jays About Farrell

Sox website says that Boston & Toronto are talking about possible compensation for John Farrell. Don't do it! Don't give up a good prospect to get a manager that finished last or near last in his 2 years of managing. We are looking for a manager, not a pitching coach. Farrell was a good pitching coach. He has been a bad manager. His teams run the bases poorly. They keep making the same mistakes - per Omar Visquel - & that's from a player who has been around awhile. Let's make a clean break. There are enough other candidates out there.

Dave Magadan to Rangers

Hitting coach Dave Magadan took a new job with the Texas Rangers. Magadan probably knew that there were wholesale changes coming in the coaching staff for 2013 with the Red Sox, so not a bad move on his part. He goes to a team that is a playoff contender. If you have been around for 6 years in one spot, like Magadan with the Sox, the message gets old & players tune out. I'm good with new blood up & down the coaching staff.

Yankees Swept Away

I'm reminded of the DVD's that came out on the Boston Red Sox in 2004. One video has a fan walking down the street, smiling & saying all is right with the world. That's how I feel today now that the Yankees have been swept four straight & eliminated by the Detroit Tigers. It's a beautiful day. Their situation with A-Rod is a mess. Jeter needs to overcome a broken ankle at an advanced age if he is to play again. Mo Rivera needs to overcome an ACL injury at an advanced age to play again. There are several players who will be free agents next year. Yes, the Yankees made the playoffs & we didn't. But they, like us, didn't get the big brass ring at the end. It still Boston 2, New York 1 in the last 10 years of World Series championships. Yes, it's a beautiful day. Have a great weekend!

Arms Race Begins

Start the stockpiling of arms for next year & see if any stick. The Sox website says that Sandy Rosario, a reliever from the Marlins, has been claimed off waivers. His minor league numbers are good, but not so much in limited time in the majors. At 27 years old Rosario could be one of those diamonds in the rough. I'd rather take a chance on himn than a reclamation project - like John Smoltz or Kevin Millwood in the past. You can assume Ben will continue to stockpile more arms for spring training.

Wild Card Cards Still Winning

The Cards don't want to give up their crown. They are on an amazing run to the World Series - again. They beat the Giants 3-1 last night to take a 2-1 NLCS lead. Chris Carpenter miraculously shows up at the end of the year with one less rib & a few less tendons, starts pitching like he never missed a beat. Carlos Beltran goes down & his replacement hits a 2-run homer last night. Mike Matheny better enjoy every minute of his freshman year as manager because he will be hard pressed to duplicate it again. And all this without big Albert whose team didn't make the playoffs. It's really been an amazing run for a Cards team trying to become the first to win back-to-back World Series for the 1st time in the 21st century.

Tigers, Verlander Win Again

It hasn't been much of a series so for in the ALCS. Tigers win again 2-1 last night to go up 3-0 on the Bronx Bombers. The Yankees are experiencing a power outage at the plate at the wrong time of year. And the fact that CC had to pitch the 5th & final game against Baltimore didn't help things either. Throw in the A-Rod situation, the Jeter injury & the Yankees are a team coming apart at the wrong time. As for the Detroit Tigers, they came on strong towards the end of the year & have kept it going in the playoffs. Our friend Jeanne who recently passed away would be proud of her Tigers. Maybe they will go all the way for her.

A-Rod Hitting Up the Ladies

My fellow podcaster Steve sent me an article from the NY Post that said A-Rod was hitting up 2 blond beauties in the stands after being taken out of the game on Saturday in favor of Raul Ibanez. He had the Yankee ball boy throw a ball into the 2nd row behind the dugout with a note from A-Rod asking the girls for their phone numbers. Very classy, A-Rod! Way to earn that $30 million a year! I replied to Steve that A-Rod is the Yankees version of Josh Beckett. The Yankees & A-Rod are heading for a divorce. It's going bad fast.

More Manager Candidates

Throw in DeMarlo Hale (thanks to a comment posted today) & Tony Pena to the mix of Red Sox possibilities for their 2013 manager. As I've said before, I'm OK with anyone not part of the Sox coaching staff from the past 2 managers. Given my stance, DeMarlo would be out in my mind. Wallach, Ausmus, Pena -- all OK with me. I would give the nod to the younger Ausmus if I had a say. Look at the jobs that other young guys like Robin Ventura & Mike Matheny have done in their 1st year. Youithful exuberrance might be what the Sox need in the next selection.

Pats Fall to 3-3

It's like deja vu all over again. A 4th quarter lead that can't be held. An offense that passes more than runs late in the game & doesn't eat up the clock. A Tom Brady who looks like he has most definitely lost a step. A porous secondary giving up huge pass plays (plural!) & making average quarterbacks look stellar. An on & on. As Bill Parcells said, you are what your record says you are. And the Patriots are a very average 3-3, losing yesterday to a very average team in Seattle. It's a miracle that the Pats made it to the Super Bowl last year with one of the worst defenses in the league. But the offense is misfiring too too much this year to repeat that scenario. If Josh McDaniels is calling the plays in the 4th quarter, he ought to hand over that duty to someone else. It's a recurring nightmare.

Brad Ausmus Gets An Interview

Brad Ausmus is the next managerial candidate to hit Beantown. Ausmus is younger, in his 40's & is a New Englander. Both the Boston Herald & Red Sox website confirm that Ausmus is under consideration. I'm good with that. Anyone not affiliated with the Francona or Valentine regimes is fine with me. I hope a replacement is announced by November 1st so we can get onto the roster issues. And what's happening with Big Papi & Cody Ross?

Jeter & A-Rod: Tale of 2 Players

My mom never liked Jeter. She didn't like his smile after a good play in the field or after a big base hit. However, after watching Jeter play for years, if I had to admire a player on the Yankees, it would be Derek Jeter. Jeter runs out every ball & is fundamentally sound in the field. He does all the little things right & the opposition never wants to have him at the plate in a big situation. To me he & Mo Rivera are the only real Yankees left. The rest are rent-a-players. Too bad Jeter joind Mo on the DL after breaking his ankle last night. His leadership on the field will be missed. Now take A-Rod, a $30 million guy being pinch hit for & batting 6th in the order now. A-Rod is the farthest thing from Jeter & his body is slowly breaking down more & more each year from his past steroid use. A-Rod is more comparable these days to a Jose Canseco. The Yankees are out big money for the rest of his contracy. There couldn't be 2 players more opposite on the same team.

Go O's Go, Go O's Go!

The Orioles are making it an interesting series with the Yankees. An extra-inning 2-1 win ties this series at 2 games each. The O's will need to hope that CC Sabathia is off his game & they can eke out another close win - which has been the hallmark of this team. With the A's gone it's up to the O's to take out the Yankees for Red Sox Nation. We are all Baltimore fans today.

Manager Interviews Start

Good! Let's get the process rolling. Tim Wallach, 3rd base coach of the Dodgers, is first up for an interview. He is 55 & has managed at different levels per the Sox website. Tim Bogar will also get a shot. I'd like to see anyone not associated with the team in the past 2 years, a fresh face to the Sox organization if you will. As the managerial interviews commence, it's time to sign Ortiz & Ross so we can move onto other priorities - starting pitching, SS, middle-of-the-order bat, etc. There's a long to-do list for Ben.

A's, Yankees Win

The Amazin' A's did it again, winning in the bottom of the 9th with 3 runs off Jose Valverde, a/k/a the human spitting machine which is part of his act before he leaves the bullpen. Coco Crisp got the walkoff single after a big 2-run double by Seth Smith. And Raul Ibanez, pinch hitting for A-Rod, moves the Yankees to within 1 win of taking their ALDS series over Baltimore. Didn't we see him do this to the Red Sox? It's like deja vu all over again. I wonder how the NY press is treating A-Rod today?

A's Stay Alive

Nice catch, Coco! Coco Crisp takes away a homer from Prince Fielder. The A's pitching does the job the rest of the way as their offense scratches out 2 runs. A's win 2-0. A game 4 win by Oakland would set-up a wild game 5 vs. Verlander. Billy Beane's boys keep the dream alive another day.

A's Need Some Mojo

The improbable, Moneyball A's of Billy Beane need to get their mojo on after dropping the 1st 2 to Detroit. The A's ran into Verlander in game 1 & played terrible in game 2. Maybe things turn around with a change in venue to the canvernous colossium in Oakland. As a pitcher, you love all the foul ground there. And we know the A's can pitch. It's an uphill battle for the A's, but this whole season has been an uphill battle. Maybe there's a little magic left in the green & yellow.

Yankees Lose

Hurray! The O's are on the scoreboard with a 3-2 win over the stinkin' Yankees. That ties their best of 5 at 1-1, so off to the Bronx for a best 2 out of 3. This close win last night, a hallmark of this season with Baltimore, should give the O's confidence going into Yankee Stadium. Keep the magic alive, O's!

Francona Gets Indians Job

Terry Francona is out of the booth & back on the field. He accepts the vacant manager's job with the Cleveland Indians. Is that a perfect spot for Tito? Out of the limelight. Small market. Anything he does next year with the Tribe is an improvement from this year. Good for him!

Time for Decision on Ortiz

Big Papi is coming back. He knows it. The Red Sox know it. It's time for Red Sox management to bite the bullet & give him his $13 million for next year & perhaps a vesting option for 2014 is he stays healthy & plays in 125 to 130 games. No heavy hitting prospect in the Sox system is closer than 2 years away. As it is, the Sox need to go out & find a complimentary, middle-of-the-order bat on the free agency market to shore up a hitter ahead or behind Ortiz like Gonzalez was. Let's not waste time in prolonging these negotiations with Big Papi. Get it done already. We have other things to do.

Patriots 31, Broncos 21

I thought Peyton Manning would do more damage to the Pats secondary. But when you rack up 35 first downs on offense, have a good running game & an accurate passing game it hard for the other guy to get the ball & put up points. Welker & Ridley were huge. Big win for the Pats to go 3-2 & take control of the division again. Next up are the 3-2 Seahawks on the road in Seattle. Pete Carroll's miracle calls by the replacement refs are over.

Brady & Manning Again

It should be a high scoring game at Gillette today as Tom Brady & Peyton Manning try to slice & dice each others defense. For some reason I feel it will come down to an important field goal by Stephen Gostkowski & this time he makes it. My pick is the Pats by 3, 35-32. We'll see how my crystal ball is in about 12 hours.

O's Take Care of Rangers

The American League entry into the last 2 World Series - the Texas Rangers - complete a dismal last few weeks of the season by losing their playoff game to the amazing Baltimore Orioles. Josh Hamilton looked overmatched with a slow bat at the plate. He struckout on 3 pitches in his last at-bat. And the Rangers big offense never got going in a 5-1 loss. The O's added insurance runs in the 8th & 9th to seal the victory. So it's O's, Yankees , Tigers, A's. You know the saying - anyone but the Yankees. The Cinderella A's have to be the popular choice to win followed by the incredible O's.

Infield Fly

What a crappy call in the Cards - Braves game! The Cards SS was 10-15 feet into the outfield grass. It didn't make the difference in the game won by the Cards 6-3, but it was an obvious blown call which MLB's Joe Torre backed up. An umpire's call (like balls & strikes) can't be overturned, but it should have been. Poor Atlanta just can't get out of their own way when it comes to the playoffs. One & done for the team with one of the best records in baseball. It was a tough ending to Chipper Jones' career in front of the hometown faithful. But the Cards just keep winning. So it's the Cards, Nationals, Reds & Giants left to slug it out in the NL. The Nats have to be the popular pick to win.

Do We Really Want John Farrell Back?

By all accounts John Farrell is the leading candidate for the job of next manager for the Boston Red Sox. I'm not sold on Farrell & I think the Sox could do better. Yes, he was a good pitching coach & knows the current big arms of Lester & Buchholz. But he has failed as a manager in Toronto which is the job opening here. And his teams are known for making the same errors over & over again. How about we make a completely fresh start? Try Ryne Sandberg or Joey Cora or Mike Lowell. Look at the job Mike Matheny did in St. Louis after the loss of Big Albert. A fresh, young face may be just what is needed in Boston after a seasoned manager failed.

Bobby Gone

Bobby V. will be collecting his paycheck from his living room next year. The Sox fired Valentine one day after the end of the regular season. Kudos to the front office for not dragging this out. An extreme makeover from top to bottom is needed for the Sox to contend again in the AL East where 3 teams finished the season with 90 or more wins. Bobby was not the whole problem, but he certainly was part of it. Put differently, he was not part of the solution. A manager in today's big league needs to be a psychologist, more than a strategist, & he needs to keep 25 guys ready to perform at their best everyday. Bobby missed that Manager 101 class at school. I always remember a line from Terry Francona. Tito said that you no longer treat players the way you would want to be treated - a mutual respect thing if you will. No, you treat them now the way THEY want to be treated. Isn't it so? OK, Ben. Job #1 is done & it was done in a speedy fashion. Time to move onto David Ortiz & Cody Ross now.

A's Finish Off A Great Season

The Oakland A's, the team with the lowest payroll in baseball, finished the season in 1st place & winners of the American League West crown. It's a great story & a credit to Billy Beane & his moneyball approach to rosters. The A's have to be sentimental favorites to go all the way once the playoffs start. As one reader commented, an A's & Nationals World Series would shock the established teams in MLB. No LA. No Boston. No Philly. Other than that team from New York, I'm OK with whomever wins the whole thing this year. The Cardinals & Braves are great stories. The Giants & Tigers are good stories too. And maybe the Rangers get their mojo back after a bad week. It's going to be a fun post-season. Just any team but the Yankees.

LA Not Represented in Playoffs

Dodgers got eliminated last night. Angels got eliminated as well. Lots of money spent by both teams to no avail. Look at the Yankees every year with the highest payroll in baseball & even they only have 1 World Series ring in the past 10 years. Money can't buy you happiness or a playoff spot. Example - Oakland A's & Baltimore Orioles. Let's hope the Red Sox spend wisely in this off-season & learn from their past mistakes.

NL Playoff Teams Set

Giants. Reds. Nationals. Wild card game between Cards & Braves. Those are the 5 teams in the post-season from the National League. No Dodgers & ex-Red Soxs to watch. No Phillies. Nice to see the Nats make it for once. Also nice to see the Cards & 1st year manager Mike Matheny make it back to post-season after Albert Pujols jumped ship. Albert will be watching from home as his Angels didn't make it this year. Sometimes there is justice out there.

It's Over Tonight

Mercifully, the 2012 season comes to an end in the Bronx tonight for the Boston 9 after the Red Sox blow a win in extras last night. One talk show already has a pool going on how long Dice-K will last tonight - 1, 2 or 3 innings. The Yankees maintain a 1-game lead over the O's who also won last night in Tampa. All of the post-season teams are set in the AL - Yankees, O's, Tigers, Rangers & A's. It's just a matter of who needs to play the one-game wild card elimination. The off-season can't start soon enough for the Red Sox & they (management) will need every day to fix the multiple problems that need repair before the start of spring training.

Sox To Do List

Week of October 1st. Ben Cherington's daily planner or iPhone calendar should have an entry for Thursday or Friday that says fire Bobby Valentine. That would be job #1 of the off-season. Week of October 8th. Re-sign Cody Ross & offer David Ortiz arbitration or a 2-year deal where the 2nd year is a club option. Week of October 15th. Start interviews for new manager. There should be items in Ben's calendar for every week of the off-season as there are many changes that need to be made.

Bombs Away in Bronx

I guess this final series didn't get off to the start I hoped for against the Yankees. Clay Buchholz will be thinking about his last start over the off-season. He didn't make it out of the 2nd inning, giving up multiple home runs. Sox lose 9-0. The Rays beat the O's, so the Yankees are 1 game up with 2 to go. Tampa Bay is 2 back in the wild card with 2 to go. Let's hope Lester & the Sox lineup can give a better performance tonight.

Pats Offense Explodes for 52

A Brandon Spikes hit on the goal line forces a fumble which is recovered by big Vince Wilfork as time is running out in the 1st half. That was the play of the game to me. The Pats stumble through a terrible 1st half to put together a solid 2nd half where the offense was unstoppable by land & air. It seemed as if Brady & Co. were striking at will. Up by 21 with 5 minutes left you would think of running out the clock since the Pats had given up leads in the 4th quarter in their 2 losses. But no, Brady to Lloyd & a field goal added another 10 points before the end of the game. Typical Bill Belichick game. Keep the starters in the whole game & run up the score. Some day that will come back to bite the Pats. But not this Sunday. Now the Pats porous secondary can get ready for Peyton Manning & the Broncos next Sunday.

Final 3 Games This Week

The O's & Yankees are tied with 3 games left. The Red Sox & Rays can play spoilers over the next 3 days. In fact the Rays are still not mathematically eliminated. It's going to be a wild finish, even if the Sox are on the wrong side of the playoff picture. Wouldn't it make for a fun finish if they either dropped the Yankees out of the AL East crown, forced them into a playoff game as a wild card or eliminate the pinstripers from the playoffs altogether? All these scenarios are possible after 159 games in the books. I'd like to see Lester & Buchholz both get wins.

In Memorium

We lost a good person on Friday night & won't be posting articles again until Monday in memory of our good friend Jeanne. She lost her 4-year battle with cancer at the age of 52. Jeanne was a friend, a fellow coach of 20 years & a determined, positive fighter of her disease to the very end. She showed much grace over her 4-year battle & she remained positive throughout her many treatments & surgeries. Every setback was met head-on with a determination to get back to health. On Friday night she was surrounded by family, co-workers & friends as she expired. We already miss you greatly, Jeanne. Save a place in heaven's dugout for Gaff & me. Get the pitchers loose & we hope to be up there with you in the future to make out the starting lineup. You were an inspiration to all who knew you.

End of Days for Bobby V.

It's been a long time coming. 6 games left to Bobby V's managerial career in Boston. There have certainly been missteps in communication with his coaching staff, players & the media. But Bobby's biggest mistakes - at least to me - have occurred on the field during game situations. The last one that stands out to me was pinch-hitting for Iglesias with a 2-2 count. Why would you do that when the season was already over & you are trying to evaluate Iglesias? Anyways, the season ends on Wednesday & Bobby should be fired on Thursday or Friday. That would be the first order of business in reconstructing the 2013 Red Sox. It's obvious that Bobby's time away from the game impacted his communication skills. A lot changes in 10 years. Just think about your own job & how it's changed over the last 10 years. Valentine doesn't deserve all the blame, but he is a contributor to a failed season of underperforming players. He needs to go.

Real Refs Again

The NFL owners finally blinked first. All I can say is good for the real refs to get a little piece of the pie.

Rays Still Alive, Sox Can Be Spoilers

After the "all everything" events of this last homestand the Sox can now play spoiler on the road to the Baltimore Orioles & New York Yankees in their last 6 games of 2012. It would make for a positive remembrance if they could knock the Yankees out of the division lead & into a wild card slot for a 1-game playoff. I'm hoping the O's win this weekend. By beating Boston twice the Rays are still in the race for a wild card spot. I don't want to see the Angels get in. A's, O's &/or Rays for the division & wild cards would be my best scenario, but you know the Yankees will be tough to knock out. It will be an interesting last week, even for the Red Sox now.

NFL Backs Game-Ending Call

What a bunch of crap! The NFL office released a statement backing up the ref's call of a simultaneous catch in Seattle. What game were they watching? What's next - is the NFL going to promise world peace? They are worse than politicians who get caught with their pants down. One commentor to the blog yesterday mentioned the casual fan will stop watching or a weekend game not involving a local team will start to suffer in the TV ratings as a first sign of disgust by fans. My thought is that the players need to rebel through their union. How about a work stoppage until the regular refs are back? The "product" is certainly sullied from numerous bad calls & the players can accurately cite safety reasons for the stoppage. I don't agree with Michael Felger often, but he is right this time that nothing will change until the owners lose revenue.

One More Week to Go

The 2012 baseball season for the Boston Red Sox will be over next Wednesday. Yes, it has been difficult for Red Sox Nation fans to watch the final weeks after the big trade to LA & the loss of David Ortiz. But it's almost over. Guys like Pedro Ciriaco, Daniel Nava, Mauro Gomez & others have been auditioning for next year's team and/or showcased to scouts for trades. The "real" season starts October 4th. Rhetoric is already starting from David Ortiz about the club's disrespect of him via a 1-year deal. Maybe he finally gets a 2-year deal if he proves himself healthy. And then there is the question of what to do with Jacoby Ellsbury. And then finding a replacement for Bobby Valentine. And then finding a middle-of-the-order bat to compliment Ortiz. And then starting pitching. And on & on. There should be a story every week during this off-season. I can't wait.

Replacement Refs Strike Again

An obvious interception by Green Bay. An obvious offensive pass interference by Seattle. But the replacement refs call it a touchdown for Seattle on the final play & Seattle beats Green Bay 13-12. This call on national TV says it all about the replacement refs. They are in way over their heads. But TV ratings are up & talks with the real refs remain stalled, so don't look for anything to change soon.

Pats Lose to Ravens

There will be a lot of talk today about the Pats-Ravens 31-30 game last night. Most of the talk will center around the replacement refs & the calls they erroneously made or the calls that they didn't make. And rightfully so. However, lost in translation will be a battle of 2 teams who smashed each other in the mouth the whole game & who gave fans in the stadium & on TV a playoff caliber performance. Yes, there were mistakes. Yes, the Pats offense couldn't take enough time off the clock in their last possession. Yes, the Pats secondary couldn't cover the Ravens wideouts on their last series. Yes, the winning field goal was suspect. And now the Pats are 1-2. As Chris Collinsworth said, no matter which team loses, you can expect to see both in the playoffs.

Aren't We O's Fans This Weekend?

Don't we all want Baltimore to keep pace with the Yankees for the AL East title? Don't we want Baltimore to beat the Sox 3 times this weekend? The O's won last night 4-2. I think the Yankees won too, so the O's are still one game back in the standings. As you look at the Orioles roster, there is no one player or two that really scares you. No one is having a career year. Their secret to success has been a shutdown bullpen & winning close games, especially extra-inning games. A lot of "experts" shake their heads when it comes to the O's & they can't believe they haven't collapsed. Sometimes it's not about stats. Remember the old saying - stats are for losers. The O's don't have the stats of a playoff team, but what they do have is confidence that they can win, especially in tight situations. And they have gone out & performed on the field for 6 months. I would love to see the O's win the division & force the Yankees into a 1-game playoff.

Bailey, Padilla Implode in 9th

A closer & set-up guy had a bad night. Andrew Bailey & Vicente Padilla combined for a 6-run 9th by the Rays & a 7-4 loss. Clay Buchholz deserved a better fate - again. The Rays needed a win to keep their fading chance of a wild card berth alive. I hope that the O's come into Fenway this weekend & win all 3, just to keep the pressure on the Yankees. And by the way, Jose Iglesias has 3 hits, including a homer. Not bad for a kid who couldn't get a ball out of the inflied all year.

Dice-K Stinko Again

Dice-K gave up 9 hits & 5 runs in 3+ innings. Aceves wasn't much better. Bard was totally out of it. Miller looked like Bard. Horrendous pitching led to a 13-3 defeat in Tampa Bay. Dice-K is reminding Boston fans why the Sox won't be re-signing him after this year. Over a 6-year span the Sox got about 1 1/2 productive years from him. I hope they sold a lot of merchandise in Japan - which probably happened after the 2007 World Series. It was a chance move that just didn't work out very well. Dice-K seems more concerned about pitching in the World Baseball Classic than pitching for the Sox. He never integrated into the pitching routine to keep himself healthy. Instead, he threw way too much between starts & tried to be too fine with his pitches. With his command gone now, Dice-K is a below-average starter. He has also been aloof during his tenure in Beantown, speaking more to foreign media than Boston reporters. This was a failed experiment. Sometimes that happens. Two more weeks & Dice-K is history.

Deion Branch Back

It didn't take long for the Pats to re-sign Deion Branch. Kellen Winslow, Jr. also signed to make-up for the loss of Aaron Hernandez. Seems like the Pats are reloading at the receiver spot as the Ravens defense defends the run pretty well. Let's hope Deion's return is a good one & the offense gets more consistency in week 3.

Doubront, Tazawa Make 2013 Roster

Pencil in Felix Doubront & Junichi Tazawa as members of the 2013 Boston Red Sox. Both have done enough this year to solidify spots on next year's roster. Doubront is coming off his first full year in the bigs with double digit wins. He has faultered some in the 2nd half, but pitched well against the Yankees & Rays recently. He now knows the grind of a full season & will be better prepared next year as a #3 or #4 starter. Tazawa is coming off of Tommy John surgery & has flashed 95-96 on the radar gun in 30+ relief appearances. His ERA is under 2.00, the best on the team. While he was a starter at Pawtucket - & management may try him there again - he is an excellent back end bullpen guy to go along with Andrew Bailey. These 2 pitchers should see quite a bit of action next year.

Bobby V. & Jose Iglesias

It's true that Iglesias can't hit his way out of a paper bag. However, the season is over & the Sox need to get a good look at what Iglesias can & can't do. Pinch-hitting for him with a 2-2 count the other day to try & score a run for Jon Lester was the wrong priority. Maybe Bobby thought Lester pitched well enough to warrant a win & he was trying to score a couple of quick runs on a blast. But it was the wrong priority at this time of year. Another reason why Bobby shouldn't be back - inconsistent management of game situations.

Sox 5, Rays 2

It was like looking in the mirror. Poor defense. No hitting. Dugout conflicts. And I'm not talking about our Boston Red Sox. The Tampa Bay Rays imploded further after a 1-5 road trip by dropping the first game to the Sox 5-2 at the Trop in from of 11,000 fans. As Jerry Remy said, they are playing in front of family & friends. Jacoby Ellsbury had a nice night at the plate with a 2-run homer to break up a no-hitter, then a big 2-run single later in the game. I thought Ells was piling on when he tried to steal 3rd in the 9th with 2 outs & Cody Ross at the plate. I viewed that steal attempt as him going for an individual stat that was unnecessary. Overall, nice to see that the Red Sox are not the only team in disarray. They just started earlier than the Rays this year.

Welker Conspiracy

Is there a plan in place to phase out Wes Welker? There is if you subscribe to the conspiracy theory that Wes is now out of grace with Bill B. & Julian Edelman is in. From what I saw on Sunday the Pats can use both guys with the loss of Aaron Hernandez for 4 to 6 weeks. Maybe Welker can bring a little moere consistency to the offense, consistency that was sadly missing the entire game versus Arizona. Whether it's playing or not playing Welker, Brady, the O-line & his backs & receivers better get it figured out before next weekend's game in Baltimore.

Red Sox of the Future

I read a very clever, thought-provoking article written by Dave D'Onofrio in the Manchester Union-Leader on Sunday. I'll summarize it. It starts out on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2013. He recounts moves made by the Red Sox over the winter. Bobby Valentine is gone as manager on October 6th. Cody Ross signs a 3-year deal & David Ortiz gets his 2-year deal on October 23rd. Marlins' bench coach Joey Cora becomes Ben Cherington's choice as the Sox new manager on November 4th. Rumors are that Toronto wanted too much to part with John Farrell. The Sox go after Josh Hamilton, but he resigns with the Rangers on November 18th. On November 25th the Sox pull a major trade by acquiring shortstop Troy Tulowitzki from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for Jose Iglesias, Ryan Kalish & pitching prospect Matt Barmes. Tulow is 28 & coming off an injury plagued 2012, but the Sox take on major salary for several years. Cherington says top prospect Xander Boegarts will be given a first-base glove in spring training. On December 4th Cherington says the Sox will allow Jacoby Ellsbury to play out his final year under contract. On December 15th Mark Melancon is traded to an NL team. Alfedo Aceves is not resigned for 2013. Bullpen is projected to be Bard, Tazawa, Atchison, Miller Breslow & Bailey as the closer with one spot up for grabs. On January 4th the Sox sign free agent starting pitcher Gavin Floyd to a 1-year deal as Floyd hopes to bounce back from a disappointing 2012. Floyd joins Franklin Morales & Rubby de la Rosa as candidates for the 5th rotation spot behind Buchholz, Lester, Doubront & Lackey. On January 15th the Sox resign James Loney & Scott Podsednik after both test the free agent market for months. Loney will platoon with Mauro Gomez at first base. Podsednik will platoon in left until Bryce Brentz or Jackie Bradley, Jr. come up to the big team. The projected lineup for 2013 becomes Ellsbury CF, Pedroia 2B, Tulowitzki SS, Ortiz DH, Ross RF, Middlebrooks 3B, Gomez/Loney 1B, Saltie/Lavarnway C, Sweeney/Nava LF. I thought that was a pretty interesting article.

Pats Lose 20-18

My first trip to see a Patriots game at Gillette was a memorable one, just not a good one from the game outcome, as the Pats lost their home opener to the Arizona Cardinals 20-18. It was a beautiful day. Fans were grilling up treats in every parking lot. I thought $30 to park a mile plus away was a rip-off, but I'm told it happens on gameday. The stadium buzzed after the national anthem with the flyover of F-18's. The stadium cameras found Dan Ackroyd in a suite & he started dancing to a Blue Brothers tune when he saw himself on the jumbo-tron. And yes, even a few boo birds came out as the offense kept sputtering all day long. I'm no football expert, but my play of the day that lost the game for the Pats happened before the final Gostkowski kick. It was the blocked punt by Arizona in the Pats end zone which resulted in 7 points. Whoever #43 is on the Patriots - he missed his block assignment that led to the blocked punt. To me that was the play that changed the game. Traffic going home was worse than coming in & Route 1 is just not equipped to handle 60,000 fans leaving all at once. Regardless, it was a great day & an experience to check off of your bucket list.

Buchholz the New #1

Even on a day without his best stuff, Clay Buchholz kept his team in the game long enough for the offense to score a go-ahead run in the 9th to win 3-2. When is the last time the Red Sox put 2 wins together? My thought when I was watching this game today was about Daniel Nava. His fielding has certainly improved, as evidenced by a big catch in the 8th last night. I like the fact that he is a switch hitter. But his long swing (almost like Lavarnway's) results in a lot of strikeouts & pop-ups. You have to wonder if Nava has a future with this team as a 4th outfielder or not. He has 2 more weeks to show what he can do.

Lavarnway, Gomez Fuel Offense in 8-5 Win

It's a chase for last place, but the Red Sox won their opening game in Toronto 8-5. In large part it was thanks to the 3-run homer by Ryan Lavarnway & a big 9th inning, 2-run triple by Mauro Gomez. As only Dice-K could do, he gave up 3 runs in the 3rd inning without the benefit of a hit - something pretty hard to do even for him. Dice will be gone in 2013, but Lavarnway & Gomez could see a lot of playing time next year.

Stephen Strasburg Shut Down

What do you think about the Strasburg situation? On the one hand, you have a team in 1st place that is headed for the post-season for the 1st time since the franchise moved to Washington. Sometimes you need to grab onto lightning when it strikes & make the most of the opportunity before you - perhaps a World Series in the Nats case. On the other hand, you have a 24-year old pitcher who is very gifted returning from Tommy John surgery. Management said from the start of the season that they would shut him down after X amount of innings so as not to risk further injury. And that happened recently. Compounding the situation is Strasburg's agent who threatened to sue the Nationals if they didn't shut him down. And then the doctor who performed the surgery comes out yesterday & says that he was never consulted about the shutdown. Damned if you do. Damned if you don't. While it is a good human interest story to think that the Nats management put Strasburg's health ahead of one year of competition, my negative side says it's all about money. Strasburg puts people in the seats. And the Nats want people in the seats for years to come. I guess time will tell whether this was a good strategy or not.

Sox Lose, Not For Sale

Felix Doubront pitched well, but you can't win when the offense scores zero runs. Sox lost to the Yankees 2-0. However, the bigger news was off the field (again) as Sox ownership squashed a Fox Business Report story that the team was up for sale. Both John Henry & newly resigned Larry Luchhino said the story had no merit. The current ownership group bought the Sox for $750,000,000. With the Dodgers recent sale price of over $2,000,000,000 & austerity moves to get out from under big multi-year deals the rumor mill was running rampant about a pending sale. Henry's other assets in Liverpool & NASCAR have been in the forefront this past year as interest seemed to be diverted from the Red Sox to those enterprises. As I said before, this off-season should be the best part of 2012.

Yankees Squeak By 5-4

It came down to a final at bat by Jacoby Ellsbury for a 2nd night in a row. This time Soriano got him to ground out to end the game. Too bad. It's fun to see the Yankees squirm as they watched Baltimore win again. If the Yankees do make the playoffs, not as AL East champs but an AL wild card, anything can happen in a 1-game winner take all playoff game. It would be great to see both Baltimore & Tampa Bay catch fire these last few weeks & really press the Yankees to make the playoffs at all. Oakland & the LA Angels are making bids at the 2 wild cards as well. That makes 4 teams other than the Yankees for 3 spots. The arithmetic (as former Ptresident Clinton says) indicates the Yankees have a 60% chance of being one of the 3 out of 5 possible teams in the playoffs. That also means there's a 40% chance they don't make it.

Sox 4, Yankees 3

Ha! Ha! Ha! The one game that the Sox decide to win & it's against the stinkin' Yankees. Even though it seemed like Jon Lester walked 100 batters, the Yankees could only score 3 times off him. Jacoby Ellsbury's 4 hits paced the offense, including the walkoff single to score Ciriaco in the 9th. How big was Lavarnway's throw to throw out Edwardo Nunez trying to steal 2nd in the top of the 9th? It all came together for once - good defense, timely hitting & an OK pitching effort. Take that, Yankees!

Ortiz Done This Year

David Ortiz confirmed that he will not push his ailing Achilles tendon to return to the Red Sox lineup this year. That's a bit surprising since he is a free agent once again & Big Papi may have wanted to prove to potential suitors that he was 100% healthy going into the off-season. After a decision on next year's manager, the Ortiz situation, as well as Ellsbury's status, will be 2 keys for management to address early on. The Sox definitely need Ortiz' bat in 2013 to solidify the middle of the order. #34 will probably get a 1-year offer with a club option for 2014 or just arbitration like this past year for one more year. Either way Big Papi will be a Red Sox in 2013. He will get more money from the Sox than anywhere else.

Another Loss After the Trade

It's hard for any Red Sox fan to watch their current triple A lineup go out & lose 9 of 10 games as the season comes to an end. It's hard not to lose sight of the positive impact that the Dodgers trade will have in coming years. You have to look at the rest of this season as extended Spring Training. It's a chance for bubble players, like a reinstated Daniel Nava, to get evaluated going into the off-season. It's a chance to showcase a number of players who may end up in trades. The upcoming Yankees series is a tale of 2 teams headed in the opposite directions, one to the playoffs & one going home. Again, don't get discouraged. The best part of 2012 will be the off-season.

Jacoby Ellsbury - Keep or Trade?

As I watch a homer off Ells' bat land in the bullpen yesterday, it made me remember his MVP year of 2011. Those numbers will be hard to duplicate, but Ells is a guy with skills & a number of teams will be interested in talking to the Red Sox about him in the off-season. Given the salary space that the Sox have, my opinion is that the Red Sox keep Ellsbury & let him play out his contract year in 2013. If he has another career year & someone wants to give him $20 mil / year for 7 or 8 years, you let him go. If he has a so-so year like this year, his value may not be excessive for the Red Sox to re-sign him. The unknown in this equation is what the Red Sox could get in return for Ells. If they can get an established #1 or #2 starter, maybe they listen. Other than that, I would hold onto Jacoby.

Patriots Off & Running

The new look New England Patriots utilizes youthful exuberance on defense & a smash mouth, hard running offense to win their first game of 2012 by a score of 34-13 over the Tennessee Titans. Steven Ridley rushed for over 100 yards & one TD. Gronk & Hernandez each caught a TD. And defensive rookies Hightower & Jones combined for a strip sack & recovery for a back-breaking TD. The O-line kept Tom Brady protected, save for a bloody nose in the first half. How weird was that to see Brady's press conference with a big bandage on his nose! All in all, a great start to a new season.

Tori Hunter & Mike Napoli

Two names tossed around on the baseball show as possible pick-ups for the Sox this off-season were Tori Hunter & Mike Napoli. Both are older guys who could probably live with 2-year contracts. Both could add character, like Cody Ross, to change the clubhouse culture. And both would give more time for up & coming Red Sox prospects to mature before they hit the big leagues in 2014. I like both names. Hunter can play both corner outfield positions. Napoli can play 1B, C & DH. These are the kind of older position guys that would fit nicely into the rebuilding plan for 2014. Good job, baseball show! I like the idea.

Starting Jobs Next Year for Ciriaco & Gomez?

Another bad outing by Dice-K, which means nothing, in a 9-2 loss last night. There is a fight shaping up for infield positions, though. Pedro Ciriaco has been a regular fill-in for Will Middlebrooks at 3B since his wrist injury. Jose Iglesias has been getting time at SS. And Mauro Gomez has looked better defensively at 1B. Ciriaco could be the regular SS or the utility guy in 2013. Iglesias hasn't proved that he can hit big league pitching yet, so I don't see him as the everyday SS. Maybe he has a shot to be the utility guy if Ciriaco becomes the everyday SS. Perhaps 1B becomes a platoon situation, like it is now, between Gomez & Loney. I think that Gomez has the better, more powerful bat. It would be interesting to see what production 500 at bats would result in 2013 for Gomez. These are some of the issues that will be watched by management over the next few weeks to see what happens in the off season. It hard to judge a clutch player, though, since these games are meaningless.

New Bullpen Shaping Up

Even though the Sox lost again, my takeaway from last night was seeing the beginnings of a new & younger bullpen. Righties Chris Carpenter, Clayton Mortensen & Junichi Tazawa have been pretty good in their big league appearances this year. Mix in Andrew Bailey, Vicente Padilla, Andrew Miller, Rich Hill & Craig Breslow and you have the making of a balanced bullpen. No mention of Daniel Bard who lost the game last night by giving up another HR, this time a 2-run shot in the 9th to ice the game for the Blue Jays. No mention of Alfredo Aceves as he will either be gone next year for his recent baby tantrums or he may get used as a starter. No mention of Mark Melancon as he just never got positive results this year. Take out the Bard, Aceves, Melancon poor outings this year & the rest of the bullpen was pretty solid. I'd replace them with Carpenter, Mortensen & Tazawa.

Patriot Predictions

If you have heard any sports shows this week, all the experts have made their predictions about how the New England Patriots will fare this year with their revamp defense & suspect offensive line. 14-2, 13-3, 12-4, 8-8. Those are the regular season numbers that I've heard thrown around. What do you think? I'm going with 12-4. If Brady stays healthy & the defense is much improved, I'm looking for the Pats to get back to the Super Bowl again - and this time win it with defense.

The Series for Last Place

While the exuberance of the Beckett-Gonzalez-Crawford-Punto trade is wearing off after a 1-8 road trip tonight's opening game of a series against the Toronto Blue Jays is the first of three to stay out of the AL East cellar. The Orioles play meaningful baseball at Camden Park against their co-leader New York Yankees. And Tampa Bay is only 2 1/2 off the O's-Yankees pace. But we are playing this weekend to stay ahead of the Jays in 4th place. No doubt job evaluations are being performed. Who will be at short next year? Who will play first? Who will be in the outfield? All these questions may be determined in the next 3 weeks of games.

Why Not Use Mauro Gomez?

It's the top of the 8th last night. We are losing 2-1. We have runners on 1st & 2nd with 2 outs. James Loney is the scheduled batter. Eric Wedge brings in a lefty from the bullpen. I didn't get why Bobby didn't pinch hit Mauro Gomez for Loney. As it turned out, Loney struckout for the final out. With runs so hard to come by lately I would have tried a better match-up in that instance. Maybe the Sox want to see how Loney hits lefties or, in this case, doesn't hit lefties. More than his terse & undecipherable answers to pre & post-game questions this is the part of Bobby V that I question - his in-game moves or lack of moves.

Bobby Versus Big O

Prior to another loss in Seattle, 2-1 last night, Bobby V & Glenn Ordway had quite an exchange on WEEI radio. In my opinion Ordway was "piling on" when he asked Bobby if he quit on the team. A 1-8 road trip doesn't put any manager in a good mood to start with. Bobby replied that if he was in the WEEI studios he would hit Ordway in the face. It was an insulting way to phrase a question. But so be it with Boston media. Bobby also could have simply stated "no" & moved on. I don't think either side handled the interview particularly well. And that's the frustration of no success on the field. I doubt things will be any less tense tonight either in the dugout or in the press room when the Sox return home to start a series with Toronto tonight. No one likes to lose. And everyone needs someone to blame.

Sox Finally Win 4-3

Who would have thought that the Orioles would join the Yankees & Rays in the AL East as teams fighting it out in September for playoff spots? And here we are on the left coast fighting to get 1 win in the last 8 tries over a last place team. Baseball is fickle like that. And one day after I blasted Ryan Lavarnway for poor results he comes up with a game-winning home run after a 3-run shot by Cody Ross. It may be only one win, but a win does help the morale on any team. Another win today & the Sox can finally win a series, something they haven't done in a long time.

What's Happened to Ryan Lavarnway?

Ryan Lavarnway was my boy for the past few years as the up & coming answer to the Red Sox catching duties. I saw him play in the Arizona Fall League. His call-up last year produced 2 home runs in Baltimore in the 2nd to last game of the season. He even caught the infamous last game of the year with the memorable miscue by Carl Crawford in left to end the game & season. The brass wanted Lavarnway to work on the defensive side of his game, so much so that they were willing to let his offense slide. I'm not sure what happened this past year in Pawtucket, but Lavarnway is just not the same guy. He is very mechanical & rigid at the plate, often swinging for balls outside the strike zone. And his catching has featured passed balls. I don't get it. I hope he can return to his 2011 form before the end of this year. Either someone completely changed his game for the worse or he is having a sophomore jinx this year. Very disappointing either way.

Yankees Being Pushed by O's & Rays

A huge lead in the AL East by the New York Yankees has dissipated to just 1 game over the Baltimore Orioles & 2 1/2 over the Tampa Bay Rays. Could the Yankess pull a September swan song like the Sox & Braves did last year? Anything is possible. The possibility of the Yankees not making the playoffs after sitting in first for the bulk of the year is most intriguing.

Another Game, Another Loss

No hitting makes everything else go wrong. You can't blame the starting pitcher on Monday. Buck has 1 bad inning, aided by a bad throw from Ells that bounces off Lavarnway. Iglesias misplays a ball at short. Result is a 4-1 loss for the 7th loss in a row. And the team batting average is under .200 for this trip. It was nice to see Chris Carpenter throw an inning. He has potential. Let's see everyone else while we're at it. It's spring training in September.

It's Time for Bobby to Go

He bats Podsednik third. He uses Aceves for more than 100 pitches over 3 nights. He doesn't intervene in the Pedroia/Aceves dugout flare-up. He gives a cryptic response to Aybar being hit or not hit. He shows up late by standards to a game. After 6 losses in a row & signs of continued team deterioration it is time to cut Bobby V. No, it's not fair. He was not able to bring in his own coaching staff. He was not given the authority to make all on-field decisions. However, Bobby's managerial decisions over the latest 6-game debacle should be enough to get him fired & put an end to a tumultous year. Both Ben Cherington & John Henry are in Seattle. I say put Bogar in charge for a month. Play Pedroia, Ross, Ells & others sparingly. Let every call-up get out there & show you what he can do. And field a team that will hustle & play with a little pride for the last month. As I said to my family, the off-season may be the best part of this regular season.

It's Hard to Watch

5 losses in a row. Another night where the starter can't make 4 innings. Another night of no offense. You know you are in trouble when Scot Podsednik is your #3 hitter. Bobby has no punch in that lineup. The Red Sox record is now worse than the Seattle Mariners, 10 games under .500. And Aceves just wants to start trouble instead of pitch. I think Alfredo is wearing out his welcome. Reminds me of Carlos Zambrano in his Cubs days. Patriots can't get here fast enough!