Ya can't win em all ya know.
The Boston Globe's recent hire, Tony Massarotti, does an excellent job of assessing the needs and strengths of the Olde Towne Team in today's paper. Glad to have him aboard the best sports section in New England.
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The Red Sox have many, many questions entering what should be the usual helter skelter offseason. With Theo Epstein and crew at the helm, I have complete confidence that baseball's premier franchise will address the concerns at first and third base, shortstop, center field, and middle relief.
Can Mike Lowell make a complete recovery from major hip surgury? Will David Ortiz, approaching his mid thirties, ever be the same hitter he was in his prime? Can Jed Lowrie hit enough to be the regular ss?
And the biggest question of the offseason is who will be the new catcher? I would be shocked if Jason Varitek returns. He was a shell of the man who used to be a pretty decent bat all year long. The team simply cannot have a sinkhole in the ninth spot.
Other questions to be addressed are: Jacoby Ellsbury and Coco Crisp; are either one good enough to be an everyday centerfielder? Can JD Drew stay healthy? Will Jason Bay hit in 09 like he hit in 08? One position with no questions is second base. Dustin Pedroia may be one of baseball's most valuable players because he is young, cheap, and oh so good.
The pitching staff is loaded with abiity. Boston has some extremely talented young pitchers whose futures appear very bright: Jon Lester is, similar to Pedroia, one of baseball's most valuable assets. Justin Masterson, Dice-K, Micheal Bowden, Manny Delcarmen, Josh Beckett, Daniel Bard, and Okajima are all young and talented. Outside of Tampa Bay, there may not be a team in all of baseball that has so much youthful ability. The major question on the pitching staff concerns this year's fourth and fifth starters: Paul Byrd and Tim Wakefield. Does the team keep them or look elsewhere? I actually think Wakefield should be kept as the fifth starter for next year, unless a cheap fireballer is available. There are many teams who would love to get 150-175 innings at a decent ERA out of their 5th spot, which is what the ageless Wake should provide.
Again, there are many questions to be answered by Theo and the gang. I look forward to spring training already.
Thanks to the Red Sox ownership for making Boston the true center of the baseball universe. Who woulda thunk it?
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The Red Sox have many, many questions entering what should be the usual helter skelter offseason. With Theo Epstein and crew at the helm, I have complete confidence that baseball's premier franchise will address the concerns at first and third base, shortstop, center field, and middle relief.
Can Mike Lowell make a complete recovery from major hip surgury? Will David Ortiz, approaching his mid thirties, ever be the same hitter he was in his prime? Can Jed Lowrie hit enough to be the regular ss?
And the biggest question of the offseason is who will be the new catcher? I would be shocked if Jason Varitek returns. He was a shell of the man who used to be a pretty decent bat all year long. The team simply cannot have a sinkhole in the ninth spot.
Other questions to be addressed are: Jacoby Ellsbury and Coco Crisp; are either one good enough to be an everyday centerfielder? Can JD Drew stay healthy? Will Jason Bay hit in 09 like he hit in 08? One position with no questions is second base. Dustin Pedroia may be one of baseball's most valuable players because he is young, cheap, and oh so good.
The pitching staff is loaded with abiity. Boston has some extremely talented young pitchers whose futures appear very bright: Jon Lester is, similar to Pedroia, one of baseball's most valuable assets. Justin Masterson, Dice-K, Micheal Bowden, Manny Delcarmen, Josh Beckett, Daniel Bard, and Okajima are all young and talented. Outside of Tampa Bay, there may not be a team in all of baseball that has so much youthful ability. The major question on the pitching staff concerns this year's fourth and fifth starters: Paul Byrd and Tim Wakefield. Does the team keep them or look elsewhere? I actually think Wakefield should be kept as the fifth starter for next year, unless a cheap fireballer is available. There are many teams who would love to get 150-175 innings at a decent ERA out of their 5th spot, which is what the ageless Wake should provide.
Again, there are many questions to be answered by Theo and the gang. I look forward to spring training already.
Thanks to the Red Sox ownership for making Boston the true center of the baseball universe. Who woulda thunk it?
posted by joe sweeney at 5:19 PM
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