The Red Sox' reputation may have been damaged in recent weeks, but Shi Davidi of Rogers Sportsnet writes that Boston isn't going to suddenly stop being a major force in the AL East. Some other notes from around the division….
- David Ortiz wouldn't be a fit with the Yankees, writes Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. Ortiz called the Yankee organization "a great situation" earlier today, but Feinsand points out that Ortiz wouldn't be willing to come to New York only as a part-time designated hitter. The Yankees still need to give some DH at-bats to Alex Rodriguez and Jesus Montero, so Ortiz wouldn't be able to play every day.
- Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd, who worked with incoming Red Sox GM Ben Cherington in Cleveland, praised Cherington's humility and experience to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.
- Josh Beckett may not be a popular figure in Boston right now, but Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe thinks the Red Sox would be foolish to trade the right-hander given the club's need for pitching.
- Mike Axisa of the River Ave Blues blog thinks that Nick Swisher's $10.25MM option for next season is an obvious pickup for the Yankees, even if New York picks up the option with the intent of trading Swisher elsewhere.
- The Rays want to add a big hitter this winter, but won't do so at the expense of their core of pitching and defense, reports MLB.com's Bill Chastain. "If you add offense, more than likely you're detracting from the defense," said Andrew Friedman. "So we're not going to do things where it's a net neutral move, or even to where we take a step back."
- Rays owner Stuart Sternberg has been open about how critical a new stadium is to his franchise's future in the Tampa Bay area, but Fangraphs' Alex Remington gives several reasons why the Rays won't be leaving Tampa and/or Tropicana Field anytime soon.
- Joe Jordan, formerly the Orioles' director of amateur scouting, talks to MASNsports.com's Steve Melewski about his seven years in Baltimore. Jordan was hired yesterday as the Phillies' new director of player development.
- Unsurprisingly, the Orioles are holding off on any coaching and front office staffing decisions until their new head of baseball operations is hired, reports Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun.
lol ………………. Peter Schmuck
Schmuck is one funny dude. I really enjoy reading a lot of his articles for the humor factor alone, a shame this one is nothing more than 100% common knowledge however.
On the O’s FO search.. Maybe they can drag old Earl Weaver out of his long time retirement to light a fire under both Showalter and those kids they have. I for one would dearly love to see him back in the game in any manner.
votto for SP shields SS lee and SP colome. reds fans should be happy with that haul and rays fans won’t notice anything happened either way
Except Votto’s salary will jump way beyond Ray’s reach in 2013. Maybe a 1 year rental. I just don’t see Rays going that way. When was the last time they actually traded for an impact player?
the rays had a $73M payroll last year, $43M this year. they could afford it straight up. add to that the discount of shields ($4.5M), trading upton as they are going to do anyway ($5.5M) and votto’s 2012 is already payroll. the extra $8M in 2013 is not much more than they spent on manny & damon this year ($7M)
they probably won’t do it, but it’s not true that the money is prohibitive
Just imagine if there staduim plans would have paned out for 2012, they could have been of they fast track for a $100mil payroll.
Chances of the Rays getting any kind of grant with Scott as Gov., or passing a tax to fund that stadium are almost nill.
if they want a stadium, they had better find a new location where somebody will show up to pay up for it.
Shields for Alonzo and Grandel would be a good fit for both teams.
less so for the reds
Isn’t anyone paying attention? Beckett is a 10-5 guy. The Sox can’t trade him without his okay.
Pretty sure he’d waive that to go to the right team. He’s not exactly beloved in Boston.
This talk of trading Beckett is insane. Coming off one of his better years, we’re already strapped for starting pitching, and he was one of THREE pitchers slacking off: him, Lackey and Lester. Nobody talks of moving Lester, why is Beckett getting this? It just doesn’t make sense to me. At this point, there’s enough discontent and bad clubhouse attitude going on throughout the WHOLE team that it’s unfair to pick out any in particular. And similarly it’s unfair to hold certain players above the rest for not indulging; Pedroia may have not done any of those activities, but clearly even he wasn’t able to lead by example. Probably not at all his fault, but it just shows how the whole clubhouse was a mess, not just one or two individuals.
i don’t think it’s unfair to pick out beckett. he’s the veteran and the ace. when he was given his extension, the front office basically told lester to follow him around and do everything he does. that was because he was a hard worker with a good approach to the game, something he developed while schilling was the ace of the staff
it’s impossible to tell how serious the problem is going forward — and i don’t want him traded — but it is completely appropriate to call him out for failing to lead the staff by example
Maybe they want to set a path for the future. Although a prominent pitcher, Beckett has been injury-prone while the Red Sox are already in a hazardous situation. Trade would bring in some prospects which is what the Red Sox need for the future.
no he hasn’t
Hasn’t been injury-prone?
right
year – starts – IP
2006 – 33 – 204
2007 – 30 – 200
2008 – 27 – 174
2009 – 32 – 212
2010 – 21 – 127
2011 – 30 – 193
“was injured in 2010”, not “is injury prone”
I’m not a Sox fan but it seems crazy to get rid of any pitching, it is their biggest weakness at this point.
I don’t think it’s crazy to get rid of “any” pitching, but I think it’s crazy to get rid of any good pitching. I’m kinda hoping some of the pitching goes away actually.
Actually, recent reports say that Lester was not part of this beer/fried chicken/video games club.
I was actually really surprised initially when I heard Lester was in this…because he’s always struck me as a hard working no BS type of guy.
A thirty homer left-hander is definitely a fit in Yankee stadium.
WOULD THE RAYS LIKE MARK TEXIERA? I WOULD ONLY ASK FOR HELLICKSON, OR SHIELDS AND C PROSPECTS.
maybe if the yankees paid his entire salary…
I like Beckett. I don’t care that he was eating fried chicken and playing video games. And that should be the sentiment with all of Red Sox nation, but of course…
Why does Beckett always seem to end up with some phantom injury practically every season? And the seasons he doesn’t, he’s usually disappointing. It’s tough to pay him as an ace when he doesn’t provide 200+ quality innings, but when he’s healthy and his head is screwed on right, he’s as good as anyone. Tough situation but they have to ride it out, much better than that Lackey deal.
Why does Beckett always seem to end up with some phantom injury practically every season? And the seasons he doesn’t, he’s usually disappointing. It’s tough to pay him as an ace when he doesn’t provide 200+ quality innings, but when he’s healthy and his head is screwed on right, he’s as good as anyone. Tough situation but they have to ride it out, much better than that Lackey deal.
Cherington will go year to year with Ortiz at about the same level of compensation he, David, earned in 2012.