The Sox probably won't be better than '04 or '05, unless all of the pitching issues turn out positive. But that is not the plan, anyway. The fans would love this team to be a perennial contender, but I think the front office knew that this team needed to take a step back before it could take 2 steps forward.
Whatever anyone tells you, this is a quiet REBUILD. Nothing more, nothing less. Only in a city like Boston, you can't turn the team over without injecting some life/excitement and hope that the team can compete, or the fans will revolt. That is not easy, but that is what they are doing. Look at the track record over the last 2 offseasons... they have let expensive, aging vets go away who would likely earn their money early, but underachieve in the latter half of their contract. Instead, they are trying to acquire youth that can become a foundation for the Sox teams of the future. Rather than signing bad long term deals that would give the team another year for a run at the title before being hamstrung by contracts, they are setting up to be able to contend in 2008-2012.
How many players have contracts guaranteed beyond the 2007 season? I can think of only 1... Varitek. I don't think that is an accident. Had there been a 28 year old stud (all star ability) available in free agency, I would think they would be one of the teams chomping at the bit for a long term deal. But in the last 2 years, free agency has been very thin for the Sox in terms of what they need at key positions. In fact, it has been the Sox free agents that have been the marquee players available, albeit at age 32+.
There is a TON of youth in the system that will have an opportunity to make this team in the next 2 years... Papelbon, Lester, Hanson, Ellsbury, Lowrie, Pedroia, etc. Not all of them will be stars, but having already acquired some young proven players, they won't all have to make it. And free agency will work back to our advantage soon enough.
Is Lowell overpaid? Sure, but he had to be included to get Beckett. Would you pay 13m to get a gold glove 3B with 20+ HR power and a front of the rotation starter? Who wouldn't? Well, that's what you get with those 2. And by the time we have to pay Beckett market value, Lowell will be off the books.
I, for one, am on board with what the Sox have done (Damon included). I am excited to see how this year's staff pans out, and how some of the young guys develop. The team is not a division favorite, but you cannot count them out of the Wild Card picture. And who would want to face Schilling and Beckett in a short series?
Pitching and defense can take you a long way... just ask the White Sox. Their lineup wasn't the most feared in the playoffs... it isn't about the numbers in the post season, it's about who's the hottest and who clutch hits. The Sox don't need to maintain the #1 offense in MLB... just get us in and anything can happen.
Whatever anyone tells you, this is a quiet REBUILD. Nothing more, nothing less. Only in a city like Boston, you can't turn the team over without injecting some life/excitement and hope that the team can compete, or the fans will revolt. That is not easy, but that is what they are doing. Look at the track record over the last 2 offseasons... they have let expensive, aging vets go away who would likely earn their money early, but underachieve in the latter half of their contract. Instead, they are trying to acquire youth that can become a foundation for the Sox teams of the future. Rather than signing bad long term deals that would give the team another year for a run at the title before being hamstrung by contracts, they are setting up to be able to contend in 2008-2012.
How many players have contracts guaranteed beyond the 2007 season? I can think of only 1... Varitek. I don't think that is an accident. Had there been a 28 year old stud (all star ability) available in free agency, I would think they would be one of the teams chomping at the bit for a long term deal. But in the last 2 years, free agency has been very thin for the Sox in terms of what they need at key positions. In fact, it has been the Sox free agents that have been the marquee players available, albeit at age 32+.
There is a TON of youth in the system that will have an opportunity to make this team in the next 2 years... Papelbon, Lester, Hanson, Ellsbury, Lowrie, Pedroia, etc. Not all of them will be stars, but having already acquired some young proven players, they won't all have to make it. And free agency will work back to our advantage soon enough.
Is Lowell overpaid? Sure, but he had to be included to get Beckett. Would you pay 13m to get a gold glove 3B with 20+ HR power and a front of the rotation starter? Who wouldn't? Well, that's what you get with those 2. And by the time we have to pay Beckett market value, Lowell will be off the books.
I, for one, am on board with what the Sox have done (Damon included). I am excited to see how this year's staff pans out, and how some of the young guys develop. The team is not a division favorite, but you cannot count them out of the Wild Card picture. And who would want to face Schilling and Beckett in a short series?
Pitching and defense can take you a long way... just ask the White Sox. Their lineup wasn't the most feared in the playoffs... it isn't about the numbers in the post season, it's about who's the hottest and who clutch hits. The Sox don't need to maintain the #1 offense in MLB... just get us in and anything can happen.
