What About Giancarlo Stanton?

I'm surprised that we haven't heard more about the Red Sox going after this young power hitter. So I checked other blogs & found a piece on Stanton that said the Sox should hold off. Reasons - nagging injuries like a hamstring that had him out 41 games; Marlins may want 3 or 4 top prospects in return, depleting the farm system; 33% swings on balls out of the strike zone; not a good fielder for RF at Fenway. I say an average of 39 homers per 162 games for a kid who's just 23 is worth the risk. We have no power bats in the farm system, other than Bryce Brentz who shot himself in the leg cleaning his gun last year. We need a younger bat to replace David Ortiz - who is lobbying for a contract extension after 2014. The Sox have a surplus of talented infielders - Cecchini, Marrero, Betts who can all be shopped. There is also a log jam of young pitchers - Renauldo, Owens, Webster, de la Rosa. If Ben can get Stanton for any 4 of these 7 guys, I'd do it. A young hitter like Stanton doesn't come along but once in a great while. And Stanton is under control for the next 3 or 4 years. With Middlebrooks, Bogaerts & Pedroia the infield is pretty well set for the next several years. With Lester, Buck & Doubront the Sox have 3 of their 5 starters for the next several years, although Buck isn't dependable. A few farm hands will pitch in the bigs & Ben can always find a few vets to sign short-term deals. I say go full guns after Stanton. It beats paying the big dollars for free agents.

Pats Can't Relax in Houston

As Bill Belichick says, their record is deceiving. (I think Bill says that about any team the Pats play with a record under .500.) But it's smart to never underestimate your opponent. The Houston Texans would like nothing better than to knock off the visiting New England Patriots on Sunday. Strange things have happened to the Patriots on the road this year. The Texans need something to revive their ugly season & a win on Sunday against a playoff contender would do just that. JJ Watt is still there. Andre Johnson is still there. Given the secondary MASH unit of the Pats, a win is never guaranteed. While the Pats will be favorites I think it will be closer than people think. I'm pulling out the crystal ball & going with a Pats win by a score of 30-24. What do you think?

Nolasco to Twins

Pitcher Ricky Nolasco signs with the Minnesota Twins for 4 years, $49 million. He has an option for a 5th year at $13 million based upon innings pitched. Nolasco was traded to the Dodgers from the Marlins last year. He is a 200-inning a year guy with a career ERA of 4.37. Remember, that ERA includes pitchers hitting in the NL. Going to the AL Central may be quite a wake-up call when he faces the lineups of Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland & Kansas City. Nolasco typical has wins in the teens, his best year being 15 wins. Minnesota is trying to rebuild & they need to overpay to get players. The Twins are rumored to be interested in Saltie as a catcher also. The more I see & read about these free agent contracts, the more I think Ben should fill holes from within.

Thanksgiving 2003

It was 2003 & right around Thanksgiving Day that Theo Epstein & ownership invaded the house of Curt Schilling to persuade him to sign with the Red Sox & bring the 1st World Series title to Boston in 86 years. Notwithstanding all the crazy talk & opinions that Schilling spouted off about during his years in Boston, the big guy did deliver. Schilling said he wanted to bring multiple championships to Boston - he did in 2004 & 2007. Schilling said he wanted to silence the fans in New York - he did during the famous bloody sock game. My friend from high school had a good saying - "no brag, just fact." So if you backup your words with actions, I guess it's not just idle talk. The Red Sox franchise is no longer tied to the Chicago Cubs as teams with the longest drought from a World Series championship. That honor is now just the Cubs, 100+ years & going strong. Odd twist of fate that Theo is with the Cubs now & trying to reverse their curse. The Red Sox have never been the same since 2004. 3 titles in 10 years. We are spoiled.

Red Sox 3, Yankees 1

Yes, we know the score since the start of the 21st century. From 2001 through 2013 no team has won more World Series championships than our own Boston Red Sox. The 86 year drought ended in 2004, thanks to pitchers Curt Schilling , Derek Lowe & Keith Foulk. We got a 2nd ring in 2007 thanks to pitchers Josh Beckett & Jon Papelbon. And we added a 3rd parade this year thanks to pitchers Jon Lester, John Lackey & Koji Uehara. It seems like it always comes down to pitching in World Series play. And thankfully our guys were better than theirs in each of these 3 great years. Other than the Red Sox, only the St. Louis Cardinals & the San Fran Giants have won 2 World Series titles over the last 13 years. Other teams with one championship season are the Arizona Diamonbacks, Anaheim Angels, Chicago White Sox, Florida Marlins & Philadelphia Phillies. And, yes, one by the New York Yankees. So if you are keeping score, which of course we all are, it's Red Sox 3, stinkin' Yankees 1.

Thanksgiving Wishes

Let's start with the easy ones. I am thankful that I got to see another World Series championship won by the Boston Red Sox. It was special for a lot of reasons, but one reason is that I got to share it with my youngest grandson who is becoming a Red Sox fan. Big Papi is his favorite. I am thankful that I got to see Tom Brady beat Peyton Manning again. Overcoming a 24 point deficit at halftime on the coldest regular-season game ever at Gillette made that win even sweeter. I appreciate the blue collar, lunch pail work ethic of this Patriots team. Maybe we are in for another run to the Super Bowl. On a broader scale I am thankful to live in the US of A where we have so many charitable citizens who feed the hungry at this time of year, who work with veterans suffering from PTSD & who do so many charitable acts in their communities. The giving heart of Americans is something that we can all be proud of. So add your own comment below about what you are thankful for - family, friends, health, life. And enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday wherever you are.

Don't You Wonder?

I thought about guys like Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez, Nick Punto, Kevin Youkilis, Jon Papelbon. Don't you wonder what they think about the Red Sox winning another World Series without them? As a player, it would bug me that my former team won a World Series without me. But not the players of today. It's a business today & these guys probably could care less, as long as they receive their payroll checks from their current teams. Whether they win or they lose, they get paid. From that perspective baseball players are like lawyers or doctors. Whether you win or lose, whether you get the right diagnosis or not, you still get paid. Wouldn't it be nice if you only had to pay your lawyer or your doctor if they won your case or if they cured your ailment? Too much guaranteed money out there in all forms of professions. Baseball is just one of them.

Minor Deal - Burke Badenhop

Burke Badenhop, 30, a relief pitcher from Milwaukee comes to the Red Sox in exchange for a prospect. Sox get the ground ball pitcher for a year until he hits free agency after the 2014 season. A righty specialist, Badenhop held righties to a .229 batting average while lefties hit him at a .338 clip. He has played for the Rays, Marlins & Brewers. Ben can never have enough bullpen pieces, especially a guy who is motivated to have a good year as he nears free agency. Could be a sleeper that works out.

Peralta, Haren Find New Homes

Obviously the St. Louis Cardinals don't care about PED users since they signed Jhonny Peralta to a 4-year, $53 million deal. Peralta missed 50 games this past season for being caught up in the Biogenesis scandal. Peralta, 31, is a lifetime .268 hitter who averages 18 HR's & 82 RBI. Does that warrant $13.5 million per year? Obviously the Cards think so. And 33 year old Dan Haren signs a 1-year deal with the LA Dodgers for $10 million. Haren was often injured, but he did go 10-14 for the Nationals last year over 169 innings with an ERA of 4.67 & a WHIP of 1.238. In his big league career Haren has pitched more than 200 innings in 7 years, so there are not many bullets left in that right arm. I had to chuckle when one announcer said he took a "cut in pay" to return to the west coast. If this is the kind of crazy money being thrown out there, I wouldn't mind if the Sox did nothing & just filled any holes from exiting players with internal fixes - like JBJ in CF, X-man at SS, Carp/Nava at 1B & Lavarnway at C.

The Comeback

Patriots 34, Broncos 31 in OT. This game was a tale of 2 halfs. The Pats were totally inept in the 1st half, falling behind 24-0. 3 turnovers, including another fumble by Stevan Ridley, made life for Peyton Manning's Broncos pretty easy. But the Pats roared back in the 2nd half with 4 straight touchdowns & a field goal to take a 31-24 lead. Manning got the Broncos a tying score at 31-31 before the end of regulation. In OT Bill Belichick declined to receive the ball first & opt for field position with the wind, allowing Peyton & company the first chance to win. It was not to be. In fact neither team could score on it's first 3 possessions. The winning field goal by Gostkowski was set-up by a huge error on a punt to Wes Welker & his teammates. Instead of fair catching the ball, Welker let it bounce & the ball hit his teammate. Nate Ebner landed on the ball to recover for the Pats. 2 plays later it was over, a hard fought 34-31 win. The post-game shows criticized Welker for not fair catching the last punt in traffic & with a tricky wind. They also criticized Manning for not trying to win the game in OT when Aqib Talib went out for a few plays. Instead, Manning stuck to a safe ground game which produced no points. A very courageous, blue-collar effort by every Patriot player on both sides of the ball, many whom were fill-ins for the injured. Even Belichick said there were many heroes. High praise from Bill. A great come-from-behind win. Spot Denver 24 points again & that result would never happen in another 99 out of 99 times. This was our 1 out of 100. We are getting spoiled in New England.

McCann Goes to Yankees

The Yankees opened their checkbook to welcome Brian McCann to Gotham. 5 years, $85 million with an option for a 6th year makes McCann the latest $100 million player. We knew McCann would be too expensive & too long in contract years for the Red Sox. Maybe now the Sox resign Saltie & overpay for 2 years while young catchers Vazquez & Swihart mature a little longer. The Sox also have the option of doing nothing & going with Lavarnway/Ross for next year. McCann did not fit the parameters of Ben in Boston.

Sox & Matt Kemp Talks

The Dodgers are entertaining talks over trading Matt Kemp. Kemp, 29, is signed for 6 more years & $130 million. While the Dodgers would be willing to eat some salary I don't see where Kemp fits the parameters for the Red Sox. When healthy Kemp is a middle-of-the-order bat, but he is coming off an injury-plagued year. His best year was 2011 where he hit .324 with 39 HR's & 126 RBI. One attractive thing about Kemp is that he has always hit for average (.293) & he has a good on-base percentage (.844). I just think that the duration of his contract is too long & Ben would not want to part with top prospects to land him.

Interesting Name - Cory Hart

Cory Hart, 31, is a free agent 1B-OF in 2014. Hart made $10 million in 2013. He sat out all of last year with knee injuries & he is waiting for a 100% bill of health from his doctor in early December. Hart would be comparable to Napoli in age & power. Hart has spent time at 1B, but also has the ability to play the outfield. A power hitter, Hart's best year was with the Brewers in 2010 where he hit 31 HR's & has 102 RBI. In his last full major league season in 2012 he hit 30 HR's & had 83 RBI. At 31 Hart might fit the Red Sox 3-year, $13 million per year parameters of guys not looking for long-term deals. Because of his injuries he may even do a 1-year deal for big money & go back out on the free agency market in 2015 a la Adrian Beltran & Stephen Drew. I hope that Mike Napoli re-signs with the Sox, but there has to be a plan B in case he doesn't. I like Hart better than Beltran just from an age standpoint. Supposedly, Hart lost 20 pounds rehabbing his knees, so he may be a John Lackey type chomping at the bit to get back out there. It's worth watching where Ben goes on this one.

Jason Vargas to KC

This signing will go under the radar as no big deal. Jason Vargas, a left-handed pitcher traded last year from Seattle to Anaheim, goes to the KC Royals for 4 years & $32 million. Vargas was on my radar last year as someone the Sox should look into. As it turns out, Vargas made only 24 starts for the Angels due to the removal of a blood clot. But healthy now, he could be a steal for the Royals at only $8 million per year where mediocre starting pitching in the big league averages $12-$15 million per year. I'm interested to see how this signing turns out for a young Royals team ready to contend with the big boys in Detroit.

A-Rod - Dilusional

I have to pile on today about A-Rod's rant on a local radio show the other day. Tony Mazzaroti called A-Rod "dilusional" because he has lied so much that he actually believes his own lies now. Good one, Mazz. I agree. Supposedly, A-Rod's legal team is going to show & tell their evidence today to the public as to why Mr. A-Roid is not guilty. What a joke! That's his legacy, a joke.

Renaudo, Brentz, Cecchini Added to 40 Man

The Red Sox protected 3 of their best prospects from being acquired by another team in the Rule 5 draft by adding all 3 to their 40-man roster. Anthony Renaudo, Bryce Brentz & Garin Cecchini are now officially part of the big league club. Good move. Renaudo pitched in the futures game last year & is getting ready to challenge for a spot in the starting rotation. Brentz is a scarce commodity for the Sox, a blossoming power hitter. And Cecchini is the next infielder to challenge Will Middlebrooks for his job. You can expect to see all 3 prospects at different times with the big club as injuries occur & rest is needed for the starters. Good call, Ben.

Fielder to Texas, Kinsler to Detroit

2 big names are changing teams. Prinbce Fielder & Ian Kinsler are trading uniforms in 2014. Texas was looking for a power bat & had a ton of infielders at the big league level. Detroit was looking to jettison a long term contract & shore up their infield defense. Win-win. Fielders poor performance in the playoffs made him expendable. Kinsler was being pushed out by younger players with talent. It remains to be seen if Detroit will go hard after Mike Napoli now as they have a need at 1B or they could possibly convert Miguel Cabrera to 1B & re-sign Perralta to play 3B with Iglesias at SS. Napoli's price may have just gone up.

A-Roid Storms Out

"It's my legacy." "I did nothing wrong." Alex Rodriguez wanted, no demanded, that Bud Selig testify in front of his lawyers. When the arbitrator said no, the "it's-all-about-me" Rodriguez stormed out of the proceedings, saying on a radio show that he is guilty of nothing & he should be in the starting lineup on opening day. I guess A-Roid has a limited vocabulary to words like I, me, mine. He can't & never will admit that he did wrong because this narcissist can't admit wrongdoing or failure. It has to be someone else's fault, not mine. Does he really think that MLB would waste their time without a case? I love it because it keeps the Yankees in turmoil about next year. If A-Roid's payroll stays on the books, Cashman has less money to sign Cano & other free agents. Nothing like a good in-house cat fight between A-Roid & the Yankees.

Sox Still In On Beltran

Carlos Beltran could slide into a DH role with the Red Sox after the 2014 season & David Ortiz' departure. The question is not how much, but how many years will the Sox need to offer Beltran to land him. 2 would be perfect, but 3 or 4 is just too long. Beltran is a switch-hitting power hitter who excels in the playoffs. Problem - he's just old. Who knows how he would hold up playing outfield every day? I'm still of the opinion that we stay young, no additional 35+ years olds.

Cano Visits With Mets

Robinson Cano wants to be a $300 million man. Not many teams could pony up that kind of money. The Yankees have stated publically that they want Cano back, but not at a price tag of $300 million. And look at the aging players they are stuck with at the end of long-term deals now - A-Rod, Sabathia & Teixeira. So Jay-Z & Cano made a very public appearance with crosstown rivals the New York Mets. It was all PR to keep the Yankees in a bidding war against themselves. Cano is going nowhere because no other team will put up that kind of money over 10 years. Cano will be 40 at the end of any 10-year deal. I'm not a Cano fan because of his casual, don't-bother-me-with-a- ground-ball attitude. Mr. Cool with the toothpick in his mouth doesn't do it for me. Just sign with the Yankees & get it over with.

Ruiz Back to Phillies, Hudson to Giants

The free agent signing process has begun. Carlos Ruiz goes back to his current team, the Phillies. And Tim Hudson signs with the Giants. With Ruiz signing the focus now turns to Saltie & Pierczyski. Other free agent pitchers include Matt Garza & Ervin Santana. At least that's a few names crossed off the board for Ben & company to pursue further. Other than kicking the tires on both Ruiz & Hudson, I don't think the Sox were that interested in either of the 35+ year old. Let's stay young, Ben.

Pats Lose 24-20

Everyone knew it would be a tough, hard fought game. One more final completion by Tom Brady as time ran out could have spelled victory, but it was not to be. And, once again, a Pats game is decided on a flag, this time a flag that gets picked up for a no-call. Panthers beat the Patriots 24-20. The Pats shot themselves in the foot several times. A fumble by Ridley. An untimely sack. A personal foul after the play, possible costing the Pats a TD instead of a field goal. A missed tackle by Arrington. Talib unable to stay on the field. Talib not playing like Talib. Interference by McCourty. An on & on. In the end the Patriots played the Panthers very tough all night, but it seemed like the replacements just weren't enough to get the job done, especially in the secondary. A good effort in a loss, but it's still a loss as the Pats go into the Denver game next Sunday night.

No Drew Next Year

I watched a show last night where Gordon Edes announced that his "sources" say Stephen Drew is fielding multiple offers for more years & more money than the Red Sox are willing to pony up. Gordon says Drew will not be returning. If true, this means that the 2014 SS position is Xander Bogaerts for the taking. It also means that Will Middlebrooks gets his job back at 3B. I say good. It's time for the Red Sox to let a kid like Bogaerts get a shot at anchoring SS for multiple years, a la Nomar when he first came up. We all know the carousel of shortstops over the past several years, a position the Red Sox have had trouble with. Bogaerts brings youth, & with youth some mistakes, but he also brings stability at that troubled position. One year, one title with another Drew is fine with me.

Post World Series Analysis

The improbable Red Sox championship of 2013 has many people within the game dissecting just how the Sox went from worst to first. One GM out west said he didn't think that the Jonny Gomes of the world were a cure-all for all teams & he expected 1st tier free agents to continue to dominate the marketplace. I guess he thinks the Sox were an aberration. Maybe he's right. Alex Speier's analysis for WEEI is that the Red Sox were successful because they were a multiple-headed monster, a team that could beat you in many different ways - speed, defense, power - & not in the same way everyday. He uses Detroit as an example of one guy, an injured Miguel Cabrera, bringing that team back down to being very average. I agree. However, stop please. I don't need all this dissection of a great season in Boston. I accept that the Red Sox put together a deep roster that could cover for injuries to Ortiz, Ellsbury, Buccholz, Drew, Ross & others. This team never lost more than 3 games in a row. More analysis than that, I don't need. I'm happy to enjoy 2013 until a new team is crowned World Series champ next October. Don't bore me with more sabermetric facts like you are solving a mathematical equation. I don't need a graduate study on the Sox complete with charts & graphs. Just enjoy it. You people are ruining my buzz!

Worst Professional Team Name Ever

I was shuffling through the sports pages of a newspaper this past week. I'm not a fan of the NBA & I don't follow it on a regular basis. However, I did see where the New Orleans franchise changed their name to the New Orleans Pelicans. That has to be the worst pro team name ever. I first thought it was a college name - like the Fighting Sioux or Running Rebels. But the Pelicans are pro. New Orleans has the football Saints which I get. But Pelicans? Odd, very odd.

Pats in Trap Game?

Patriot fans have to wait until Monday night to see their team take on the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte. Cam Newton has been playing much better as of late. Add their trio of tough running backs & a solid defense & the Pats may be looking at a trap game before taking on Denver next week. However, Belichick & Brady do an excellent job of getting the team to focus on the task at hand. The re-emergence of Gronk allowed the offense to run up 55 points on Pittsburgh 2 weeks ago. But Belichick has warned in the past about the pitfalls of the first game back after a bye week. Gregory & Dennard are out, leaving the Pats short of bodies in the secondary. Talib expects to be back & possibly Vereen as well. It's a weekly shuffle of injuries to different players at this time of year. Most talk shows are expecting a low-scoring affair due to the Panthers D. I'll go with 20-17 Pats.

Meaning of Duck Boat Parade

I was out of state when the Red Sox championship duck boat parade happened last month. I understand that some estimates had the crowds at over 1,000,000 on-lookers. Many that made up the crowd were families - moms, dads & kids. I had a chance to watch the parade last night for the first time, thanks to the magic of a DVR & thanks to my daughter for taping it for me. Like most people, I was caught up in the celebration of an unexpected World Series win until a reporter mentioned that this was the first large gathering of people in Boston since the Boston Marathon bombings. The small ceremony at the finish line by Jonny Gomes & Saltie with the owners of Marathon Sports, along with the singing of "God Bless America," was quite moving to me. It also symbolized to me that healing from the April bombings had come full circle. People from across New England were not afraid to gather once again with their families & friends in Boston. Victims effected by the bombings were shown rebuilding their lives one step at a time. Life is going on. As Big Papi eloquently said, no one can take away our freedom. Boston has a championship team to be proud of. Boston also has a city of strong people who are not intimidated by terrorists. "Boston Strong" lives on every day.

Keep John Lackey

I know. Everyone is available for the right price. I also know that the Red Sox have an over-abundance of starting pitching. I also know that John Lackey will be paid the league minimum in 2015 due to his Tommy John surgery in 2012. Therefore, Lackey is a front line starter at a very reasonable price which makes him interesting to other teams. But, notwithstanding all of the above reasons, I think the Red Sox should keep John Lackey for his final 2 years. It's not for business reasons. Lackey should stay because he personifies the comeback, turnaround & redemption of this team in 2013. Who will ever forget his spectacular effort against Justin Verlander in game 3 of the ALCS? Who will forget his clutch performance in game 6 of the World Series? John Lackey was just a shade behind Jon Lester as the Sox best pitcher throughout the playoffs. He & Lester mowed down the top 2 starters for Tampa Bay, Detroit & St. Louis. Leaving to a standing ovation by the fans at Fenway in game 6 of the World series seemed impossible for John Lackey just a short time ago. Just like it seemed impossible that the Boston Red Sox would be World Series champs in 2013. Let's keep John Lackey in a Boston uniform to remind us that the impossible does happen.

Crazy Thoughts

I thought of this the other night. I know that there are other fans in New England who are thinking the same thing. It's a crazy thought, but one that runs through your mind during this unbelievable decade of championship seasons by Boston pro sports teams. Could lightning strike twice? Could a most improbable championship season by the Boston Red Sox be followed by a similarly improbable championship season by the New England Patriots? A team with many rookies. A team with major injuries to key performers. Yet, the Pats come off a bye week at 7-2 & face a fairly easy schedule the rest of the way. Could Tom Brady & company pull off a Super Bowl win this year when no one was looking? Time will tell. What a crazy thought!

Pedroia Has Successful Thumb Surgery

The little guy with the big heart had successful surgery to repair a tendon in his thumb that he injured in game #1 of the regular season. Dustin Pedroia's thumb of 2013 won't be compared in the same light as the bloody sock of Curt Schilling in 2004. But don't dismiss the impact of his playing every day this year as a reminder to his teammates of his will to win. An injured thumb did not stop him defensively as he won a gold glove & defensive player of the year awards. It did impact his power numbers at the plate which should improve next year. Pedroia is a tough guy to get off the field. It will be nice to see him healthy next season.

Francona Gets Manager of the Year

The old guy beat out the new guy. Terry Francona got 16 votes to John Farrell's 12 to win the manager of the year award. Francona took his Cleveland Indians to the playoffs for the first time since 2007. We all know what happened that year. J.D. Drew hit his famous grand slam to help the Sox overcome a 3-1 defecit to the Indians. Then the Sox swept Colorado in the World Series. I think we can live without another individual award, given that we won big brass ring as a team - the World Series. I'm sure Francona would gladly trade in his award for another series win. Good for Tito. Better for us!

Cherington Kicking Tires on Trumbo & Pierzynski

Ben Cherington is doing his due diligence on back-up planning in the event that Mike Napoli does not re-sign & in the event of injury to David Ross. Mark Trumbo is a 27 year old power hitter who has 3 full years of life in the big leagues with Anaheim / LA Angels. (What a stupid name for a team - LA Angels of Anaheim!) Trumbo averaged 150 games played over the past 3 years, so he's durable. Notwithstanding a drop in batting average & lots of K's a la Napoli, Baseball Reference shows that he would average 33 HR's & 100 RBI over a 162 game schedule. That's a little better than the power numbers for Giancarlo Stanton who I also like. Trumbo is under control until 2017 before hitting free agency. Guys like Trumbo & Stanton interest me since they have incentive to play well as they approach their walk years. On the other hand, a guy like A.J. Pierzynski does not interest me at age 36. His legs have caught a lot of games over the years. He is a 16 HR/76 RBI guy like Saltie only older. If the Sox don't sign a catcher or comes to terms with Saltie, I would go with Ross, Lavarnway & Vasquez with power hitting catcher Dan Butler in the wings. Let's stay with the 25-29 year olds, Ben, not the 35+ geriatrics.

More About Giancarlo Stanton

I like the Red Sox going after this guy for a lot of reasons. First, he's young, an up & coming star. Just turned 25 & Giancarlo Stanton (formerly Mike Stanton) already has 3 full major league seasons under his belt, playing 1749 games. His profile fits the Red Sox philosophy of short-term deals as Stanton is not eligible for free agency until 2017. The Sox would have Stanton under control for 3 years & reasonable money. Second, he is a young power hitter. Baseball Reference gives his stats over an average 162-game season as 39 homers & 97 RBI. His best season in the majors was 2012 when at age 22 he hit 37 homers & 86 RBI in 123 games. Third, Stanton brings a physical presence at 6'6" & 230 pounds. Like Big Papi walking to the plate, you would know when Stanton is on deck or at the plate. Four, the Sox have an over-abundance of young prospects that the Marlins could keep for small money in a 3-for-1 or 4-for-1 trade. I would rather see the Sox go after young talent than look to a Tim Hudson or Carlos Beltran. Stanton would fit nicely with Bogaerts, Middlebrooks, Doubront, Workman, Bradley, Jr. & other youngsters working their way into the Red Sox regular lineup. And we need a power hitter to replace Ortiz after next year. In 2015 the middle of the order could be Bogaerts, Stanton, Middlebrooks. Think about that! Let's not get old like the Yankees.

Brian McCann - Too Pricey for Sox

At 29 Brian McCann is the best free agent catcher on the market. He is a good friend of David Ross. That's about the end of the connection to Boston. Over 8 big league seasons McCann averages 26 HR's & 97 RBI in a 162 game season, certainly a power force at the plate. I think that his asking price will be more than the 3 or 4 years that the Sox will be willing to offer. No question that McCann would be a nice addition, but the 5+ year deals are not something Ben & company are willing to offer since the jettison of lengthy contracts of Gonzalez, Crawford & Beckett. The Sox did tie-up Pedroia for multiple years, but that was an aberation from standard policy. McCann will probably end up in Texas, LA or maybe NY with the Mets, not Yankees.

Baseball Talk

It's early in the twilight of another World Series championship year, but baseball talk is heating up over possible additions by free agency or trade. Let's start with who is gone. Jacoby Ellsbury did enough this year & in the playoffs to be the premiere outfielder in free agency. He will get multiple years & big money from some team, so consider Ells gone. Mike Napoli is testing the market, but don't count Nap out yet. He likes Boston & the Red Sox could offer him more per year to keep the length of his contract down. Mike Napoli is a "maybe" to return. Stephen Drew rejected his qualifying offer in lieu of getting a multi-year deal somewhere else. While some are reporting that the SS is getting a 2-year offer from the Sox, I say let him go. Give the "X-man" the keys to SS next year & let him finish his development at the big league level. Bogaerts proved that he could produce under the bright lights of this year's playoffs. And let's keep Will Middlebrooks as you can't give up on a power bat like his this early. Maybe he can improve at 3B or maybe he has a future at 1B when Garin Cecchini comes up. As far as new names being circulated, here's my thoughts. CARLOS BELTRAN - OK up to 2 years. Beltran is 36 & looking for a 3 or 4 year deal. Doubtful that he will get it. TIM HUDSON - No. Hudson is an older version of Jake Peavy at age 38. Time for Hudson to retire. We have a lot of young pitching in the system that we need to move up or move them out. GIANCARLO STANTON - Yes. At 24 Stanton will be talked about by a lot of teams. A power hitter & power arm in the outfield, Stanton is under control until 2017 before he hits free agency. That's 3 years of low-cost money for a developing star. We could package young pitchers with a Lavarnway or Nava to make this deal with the Marlins. For all the talk so far I would like Ben to focus on STANTON as his key guy.

Looking for Power Hitters

When Big Papi finishes his career in Boston next year I'm looking within the Red Sox farm system to see where the next big thumper/ big power hitter is coming from. I don't see much that wows me. Instead of looking at slugging percentages, I decided to focus solely on the long ball. At Portland last year there was Michael Almanzar (3B) & Travis Shaw (1B) with 16 home runs each. At Pawtucket there was Bryce Brentz (RF) with 17 homers & Dan Butler (C) with 14. Unless one of these guys stirs things up next year with 25-30 dingers I think we are looking at Ben trading one or two of all those pitchers he drafted for a big bopper. No one player will ever replace Big Papi as a true DH, but there may be opportunities to rotate different players through the DH spot like most other teams. I'll take a look at free agents that might be available in the next year or two.

Pedroia's Surgery Scheduled for Tuesday

The Red Sox website says that Dustin Pedroia's thumb surgery is scheduled for Tuesday in Arizona. The Gold Glove winner injured his thumb on the 1st day of the season in New York sliding back into first base. Because he played all year with this injury his doctor may need to find a replacement tendon in his wrist. Instead of 4-6 weeks recovery it could be 6-8 weeks. Pedey says he will be ready for spring training. Pedroia & Ortiz were the glue that held this team together by their steady play & leadership throughout the season. Pedroia could have very easily cashed it in & got the surgery in April, probably missing a half-year like brittle-man Clay Buccholz. But he played through it & gutted it out. His small stature hides an intense desire to win & Pedroia contributed hugely to this championship run & championship team in 2013 by staying on the field. The little guy has a big heart when it comes to playing baseball.

2013 Was _____

You fill-in the word or words. Here's some that I thought of. Un-freakin'-believable. Unexpected. Destiny. Blessed. Improbable. A miracle. Beard-magic. Boston strong. Fun. Exciting. A great ride. A counter-attack to the bombings. Great. High drama. A tribute to TEAMWORK. Redemption for 2011 & 2012. Re-birth of baseball in Boston. A long shot. Divine intervention. An alignment of the sun, moon & stars. Like 2004. Lovable. Family entertainment. Ben Cherington's coming out party. A comeback. The best. The embodiment that the sum of the parts are strongest. An ending no one could have thought up. A season to be long remembered. If you can think of other words, hit the comment button below & leave your thoughts on the Boston Red Sox of 2013.

Is Saltie Gone?

Answer - maybe. It depends upon what Saltie & his agent are fielding for offers for his services in 2014. I think it also depends upon whether or not the Sox want to entrust 70-80 games in 2014 to Ryan Lavarnway &/or Cristian Vasquez. In particular for Lavarnway, it's time for the Sox to give him extended playing time at the big league level or let him go. Vasquez has a cannon for an arm, but he is not much with the bat. Another year of seasoning would definitely help him. But these 2 guys could man the catching position along with David Ross. To be honest, there are no great catchers for sale out there. Salties's numbers were good offensively, but he does strike out a lot with that big loop in his swing. He will run into 20 homers a year which makes him valuable. I think that Saltie's future is brighter to a team that needs a 1B or DH - like Victor Martinez. Saltie may not be a fit for the Sox's plans next year.

Drew Tied to Middlebrooks?

Letting Stephen Drew go would be easier if the Sox knew that they could count on Will Middlebrooks to be their everyday 3B. Middlebrooks & Bogaerts project to be the left side of the infield in 2014. Pedroia will man 2B. If Napoli re-signs, you have him at 1B. Or you rotate Nava & Carp at 1B. If Middlebrooks can't field his position or keep a steady offensive approach, the Sox may want to return Stephen Drew for 1 more year at bigger money. More likely than not, though, Drew is gone. So the spotlight will be front & center on Middlebrooks in spring training. Should he falter, young guys like Ceccini & Marrero may get a shot at the big club.

Qualifying Offers to Nap, Ells & Drew

The Red Sox made qualifying offers to Mike Napoli, Jacoby Ellsbury & Stephen Drew. Each player has 1 week to accept or decline their 1-year deal for $14 million. If any of the 3 decline, the Sox will receive a compensation pick from whichever team they go to. It's highly unlikely that any of these 3 players will not look for extended deals on the open marketplace. As I stated in a previous post, it appears that Mike Napoli is a high priority for Ben Cherington to re-sign. Ells & Drew will no doubt get multi-year deals elsewhere. They have shown that they can play in high-stress playoff games, but both have a history of injuries which could keep the number of years offered down by other teams. A glaring exception was the fact that no qualifying offer was made to Saltie. Maybe another team could turn him into a first baseman for his bat - like Napoli. You never know. This off-season will be quite interesting. I'm still gloating over the championship, so I go with "in Ben we trust."

World Series Hangover

I'm not ready to move on. The incredible story of the 2013 Boston Red Sox season is just too good to let it go yet. I already heard that there is one book out & I'm sure there will be many to follow. This weekend I was reminded of the 2004 video where a Red Sox fan walks down the street the day after winning the World Series like Spartacus just after he won the war. Similarly, I was at a craft fair this past weekend when I spotted 2 stinkin' Yankees fans. One was wearing a Yankees hat & one was wearing a Yankees t-shirt. I made sure to stare down both of them as I was wearing my Red Sox hat. I made sure that they both saw me. We have bragging rights for a year, so enjoy it & take advantage of it. It's 2004 all over again!

Jacoby Ellsbury

It's too bad that a team like Seattle or Texas will offer Ells lots of money over 5 or more years to play for them. Jake has been an exciting player on the field & perhaps just as exciting off the field. Like Jon Papelbon, sometimes it's just time to move on. Ells was part of 2 World Series teams here in Boston in '07 & '13. But just as the Patriots plug in new talent when a starter goes down, Jackie Bradley Jr. will get his shot in 2014 to join an outfield with veterans Victorino, Nava, Gomes & Carp. Ells is a game-changer when he is in the lineup. We will miss him. But whichever team gets him has to bank on good health for their long-term investment. I would take out an insurance policy based upon his past injuries.

Sox Extend Lester

Jon Lester was extended on a team option for 2014. No brainer, right? Lester did emerge as that #1 ace of staff over the final 2 months of September & October. The hard part will be to work out a long-term extension before he hits free agency. Most of these deals don't work out too well for the team. If Lester gets a 3 or 4 year deal, I think the Sox can live with that. If they offer him 5 or more, you are just asking for trouble. Maybe Ben can offer more dollars per year in return for a shorter number of years. The Sox definitely want to keep Jon Lester in a Red Sox uniform for the medium term. You can expect a lot of negotiating over the next year.

Mike Napoli - Priority #1

I hear that the local press is helping Ben Cherington with his off-season duties. It appears that TV & radio have decided for Ben that re-signing Mike Napoli is his #1 job. I can't say that I disagree. Next year with be the last for David Ortiz & Mike Napoli provides protection for him. Many times Napoli made pitchers pay for intentionally walking Ortiz, particularly in the playoffs. I believe that Nap set a personal high for RBI with 90-something. He does strike out a lot which can be annoying in different stretches of the season. But he also has the ability to hit game-changing homers off guys like Justin Verlander in the playoffs. If Ben can reinstate the final 2 years at $13 million each, I think that's a no-brainer. Nap has shown that he can handle playing in Boston & it would be nice to get him back. He could definitely slide into the DH role in 2015. However, he may get offers for more years & more guaranteed money. I think this will be a tricky negotiation for Ben & company.

Pats Unload for 55 Points

The replacement players on D gave up 31 points. No problem, though, as Tom Brady & the offense scored 55 for a big win going into the bye week. Brandy to Gronk, Brady to Dobson, Brady to Amendola & the tough running of Stevan Ridley wore out the Pittsburgh defense. Things looked bad early in the 2nd half when the Steelers tied the score at 24 all. But it was a track meet after that as the Pats laid on 31 more points. Kudos to the Pats taking care of business & going to 7-2. All eyes on football & hockey now.

Pats Replacements to Battle Pittsburgh

Brady has a bad hand. Vollmer is out for the year like Wilfork & Mayo. Guys like Amendola & Talib are week to week. Gronk is questionable & yet he is expected to play. And somehow the Patriots are 6-2 as they face the Steelers before heading into the bye week. Regardless of their poor record, the Steelers are still a hit-you-in-the-mouth team & the Pats are in for a tough challenge. More replacements keep filling in for injured starters every week & you have to wonder when the bubble will burst. I hope it is not this week. It would be nice to go into the break with a 2 game lead & perhaps get a few players back in 2 weeks. I wouldn't expect an easy game on either side of the ball today. My prediction is 20-17 Pats.

Jeter Signs for $12 Million, A-Rod Still Fighting

What a difference in the current cultures of the Boston Red Sox & New York Yankees! The Yankees had to negotiate an extra $2.5 million with Derek Jeter just to get him to come back next year. Now I like Jeter because of his hussle & attitude of winning. He is the older version of Pedroia to me. But for a guy who spent just about a full year on the DL, all-the-while collecting his salary of $20 million, to not accept his player option of $9.5 million seems pretty selfish to me. What is the extra $2.5 million going to do for Jeter's lifestyle that he already doesn't have? I thought this was a very "me" move by Jeter & uncommon from what I think about him. If this is the first negotiation of the off-season for the Yankees, A-Rod may be the next as he fights to keep his $30 million salary for another year with his band of merry lawyers suing & countersuing MLB & the Yankees. Is there anyone more self-centered & not able to admit his faults than A-Rod? The Yankees want to come in under the luxury tax in 2014, but they still need to deal with aging, overpaid stars like Jeter, A-Rod, Teixeira & Sabathia. And let's not forget that Robbie Cano wants 10 years & $300 million. The Yankees are in a downward spiral & will be for the next few years. Too many big contracts to aging players. I love it!

What A Year!

I had a 5 hour drive yesterday which gave me time to reflect on the great & improbable year of the Boston Red Sox. Against all odds, this Red Sox team stayed strong throughout the entire season. And they proved that Boston was the strongest in the playoffs. The Sox were the "feel good" story of the year amidst other stories not so good. The Boston Marathon bombings took the lives of 3 people, including a little boy. The bombings maimed hundreds of others, some of whom we saw at Fenway Park recouperating from their wounds, some with new limbs. Aaron Hernandez was arrested for murder & he may be linked to another homicide. Jerry Remy's son was arrested for the murder of his girl friend, the mother of Jerry's granddaughter. How sad for Jerry not to have been part of this incredible 2013 season due to his son's actions. It has been an up & down year for the people of Boston & for the Boston sports fans. Thank God the Red Sox gave this city so much to cheer about, so much to be positive about. Let's hope the Patriots & Bruins can carry the banner of good for the next few months.

Duck Boat Parade

I didn't get a chance to see the parade today, but I did get it on tape for viewing later. I can only imagine that it was great. A fitting finish to an unbelievable year. When Jake Peavy first joined the Red Sox & said hello to Jonny Gomes, Peavy asked Gomes how things with the team were going. Gomes replied "just another day closer to the parade." And so Jonny proved psychic as well as a winner. Being out of state I can tell you that not everyone is happy that the Red Sox won again. Another team's GM or VP, I forget which one, said "don't think that character guys like Gomes are the future of team acquisitions." I say OK, but we'll stay the course with the Jonny's, Shane's & David's for another year. Some managemnent people will always stick to the math & numbers. We will stick to T-E-A-M. Get the Sox DVD ready for sale by the holidays. I'll have my kids buy it for me.

The Day After

It's starting to settle in. It really happened. A group of players that were suppose to play out a bridge year did what all the experts thought was impossible. David Ortiz started the year on the DL. Clay Buccholz missed 3 months of the season. 2 closers had season ending surgery. John Lackey was expected to be traded as he represented the old beer & chicken regime. John Farrell was a losing manager in Toronto. Jon Lester was not pitching well into the all star break. The Rays, O's & Yankees were contending for playoff berths down the stretch. But this team overcame every obstacle, finished strong in September & continued to find a way to win during the playoffs. A total of 49 different players were used this year. Boston Strong started after the bombings in April. As the Globe headline read, Boston strongest is October. The truth can be stranger than fiction sometimes. Fear the Beards in 2013 will go down as a historic turnaround from last to World Series champs. We will be talking about this year for a long, long time to come.