Over the Monster

Make Your Own "Abraham Abominaters" Team

2009-11-20T16:23:29Z

Stealing is the sincerest form of flattery.

Wait. That doesn't sound right...

Anyway, moving on. Peter Abraham of the Globe at Extra Bases is proposing to create your own free agent team. He has a little contest going where you can submit your team, he'll look through them and decide a winner. I like this idea. For once, I am doing this kind of thing (but not for the free book, although I probably would read it, whatever it is).

So I figured let's try this at OTM, too. I don't really care if you want to post your team here, there or both locations. Doesn't matter to me, I just think it would be a fun exercise. It will get our minds-a-movin'. I think we all need that on occasion.

Here are two links to help you out:

Free agent position players

Free agent pitchers

One rule that is different: your team has to be called the Abraham Abombinaters. Has to. No exceptions.

David Oritz admonishes Red Sox for not adding power. 2007 WS year they scored 867 runs, hit 166 HR....

2009-11-20T16:02:43Z

David Oritz admonishes Red Sox for not adding power. 2007 WS year they scored 867 runs, hit 166 HR. In 2009 scored 872 runs, hit 212 HR.

Twitter / Peter Gammons: David Oritz admonishes Red ...

Mr. Gammons doesn't say much on Twitter, but when he does, he's always spot on.

Terry Francona Wants A Pitcher: How About Chris Capuano?

2009-11-20T11:00:14Z

According to the manager himself, Terry Francona always tells Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein to get a pitcher. Get me dat pitchah. I need dat pitchah.

Sure. That sounds simple enough. But have you seen the free agent market? It's kind of ugly. Plus, what does Tito want exactly? A starter or reliever? Or a guy that can do both? Or a guy who he can beat in cribbage? Unlike this guy.

There's one name that is intriguing to me and I think the Sox can grab him if they wish: Chris Capuano, formerly of the Brewers.

Like most free agent pitchers, there's a lot of reasons to cover your eyes when Capuano's name comes up. First of all, he hasn't pitched in the major leagues since 2007. He underwent Tommy John surgery to start 2008 and the only time he's been on the mound is in rookie ball for six starts (three runs in nine innings).

Health is obviously a concern with Capuano, but he also brings some good things to the table as well.

Capuano is a deceptive pitcher with a solid strikeout rate in his career (7.4 K/9 in more than 700 innings). While other numbers of his like to fluctuate -- including his BB/9, which has historically been in the 3.5 range, but in '06 was under around 1.9 -- his strikeouts have been pretty consistent. This bodes well for someone pitching in Fenway Park.

He had a "career year" in 2005, winning 18 games with a 3.99 ERA and earning a trip to the All-Star game. He struck out 7.2 per nine innings while his WHIP was a tad high at 1.38. A solid season for a pitcher in the National League, but 2006 was probably even better, despite less accolades (and wins, of course).

Capuano won seven less games in 2006 while raising his ERA by .04. It seems like the year was slightly worse, but his WHIP actually improved greatly, down to 1.25 and he decreased his BB/9 almost by two: from 3.74 to 1.91.

But after that, downhill. In 2007, he missed a few games and just struggled. A lot of it was being unlucky, though. His BABIP was .308 in his solid 2006 season, but in 2007 it ballooned to .340. It's tough to be a great pitcher with a number like that.

Another selling point: Capuano is a local boy. Born and raised in Springfield, Mass., I'm going to assume he was a Red Sox fan, but I can't confirm that. Who doesn't love it when a local boy comes home?

How will Capuano bounce back from Tommy John? No one knows and that's the No. 1 concern. How would he adjust to pitching in a tough AL East? No one knows and that's probably concern No. 2.

While it doesn't seem Capuano has a clear spot in the pitching staff, I think he'd be a great pickup by Theo just to see what he could offer once he's ready to go. A starter or a reliever, it doesn't really matter. A Capuano signing would just be Theo trying to find another diamond in the rough that has shown potential. He's not going to be expensive either, so don't worry about the money.

It's a low-cost move with a potential high-reward. I think Theo should make it happen.

What do you think? Is this a move that could work for the Sox, or is this just another cheap option to hopefully fill a gap? How do you think Capuano would pitch in Boston? Is there a better pitching option?

Over the Monster Top 20 Prospects Voting #2: Kelly Takes the Top Spot

2009-11-20T09:48:08Z

Your #1 Prospect: Casey Kelly (via snapshots.mlblogs.com)

View full size photo »

Throwing this up a bit early. I have faith that no voting past 3:45 AM CST is really gonna mess with the overall result too much, and I've got a very busy day ahead.

It's not exactly a revolutionary choice, but then again, why should it be? Coming in with around 34% of the vote, Casey Kelly claims the top spot on our prospect list by way of plurality. While Kelly is not quite as clear a winner as Lars Anderson was last year, he's no less deserving than the first baseman was last year. Hopefully, Kelly's followup performance won't be quite as...uninspiring.

So, let's move on to round 2. See the first post for information on the various candidates.

Once Again, David Ortiz Wants Another Power Bat

2009-11-19T21:44:02Z

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

3 months ago: Boston Red Sox' David Ortiz stretches on the field prior to a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park in Boston Thursday, July 30, 2009. Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were among the more than 100 Major League Baseball players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, according to a report in The New York Times. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Browse more photos »

David Ortiz is already singing the same story from last season:

The best stuff came when David was asked about the Sox needing more power in their lineup beyond retaining Jason Bay.

"I said that like a year ago and everybody was looking at me like I was a (expletive) clown. You know? I said we needed another 30-home run hitter. Everybody was talking trash. There you go. Now what?" he said.

"Everybody always will welcome a 30-home run hitter at any time, any day, any situation. You want to compete with those guys across the street? You better bring it. Period.

Ortiz said last season the Sox need another 30 home run hitter because Manny was gone. The answer was Jason Bay. He did that and more. He filled the void. Now Ortiz wants another 30 home run hitter in the lineup.

How 'bout you, Papi?

(Ouch. Stings. He was close, but not quite...)

If the Sox do try to acquire another 30 home run threat, where are they going to put him? Who are they going to get? Adrian Gonzalez is an option, which would push Kevin Youkilis to third base and send Mike Lowell packing. That would be losing 20 home runs from the lineup. So would we then have to make that up too, Papi?

We need a power bat, sure, but we also need defense and some more pitching. We also need our designated hitter to hit more than one home run between April and May. That'd be a nice boost to the offense.

Top 10 Moments Of The 2009 Season: We Need Your Suggestions

2009-11-19T15:25:24Z

More photos » by M. Spencer Green - AP

Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein talks to reporters during Major League Baseball's 2009 General Managers Meetings regarding the top 10 moments of the Red Sox in 2009 for OverTheMonster.com. He suggests no matter what the list is, he used a saber-friendly strategy to help aid the list. He will not sign any big-name free agents for the list. He's the man.

Browse more photos »

Every year here at Over The Monster, we like to not only look forward during the offseason but also look back. One way we do that is by recapping and labeling the top 10 best moments of the season. We want to do that now, but we need a little help from the smarter folks here: you guys.

We've done quite a bit of top 10 coverage (more so than that link suggests, actually) and we want to keep doing it. Here's a pretty good list from last year, while this is the No. 1 moment from the 2008 season. Bad ending to the year, but a damn good No. 1 moment.

Now it's time for 2009. Even a worse season (we weren't that close to reaching the World Series, if you remember), but there's no doubt we can find 10 great moments.

Moments can be anything from a great game to a great play to a great managerial call. Anything that was great for the Red Sox is up for grabs (Jon Lester basically dominated the list in 2008, so don't be surprised that's true in 2009).

So please leave a comment(s) telling us what your favorite moments of the season were. We'll take all of them together, compile a list and figure out which is the best. We really need your input to make this happen, so gives us a hand, OTM Faithful.

Thanks and go Sox.

Who Would You Rather Have: Jason Bay or...?

2009-11-19T11:00:13Z

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

about 1 month ago: Boston Red Sox left fielder Jason Bay speaks to the media while his daughter Addison shields her eye from the bright lights at Fenway Park Boston, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009. The Red Sox host the Los Angeles Angels in Game 3 of the American League division baseball series on Sunday. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Browse more photos »

Jason Bay is a good baseball player ... at some things. For other things, he's a bad baseball player. But that's true for a lot of baseball players. There aren't many players who are great at everything.

We have an idea of what Bay's strengths and weaknesses are, but what's more important for the future of the Red Sox?

Let's look at the negatives first. In bullet point form, of course:

Defense.
Defense.
Defense.

I know -- it's harsh -- but we all know it's true. Sure, he committed zero errors. Which is absolutely fantastic ... if you are watching baseball from the 1980s. Instead, his UZR/150 was -11.2 (which was actually much better than his -24 in 49 games with the Sox in 2008).

His -11.2 was second worst in the MLB for left fielders only in front of Ryan Braun. So it's really simple to say he was one of the worst -- potentially the worst. This is something Theo Epstein knows and it will be huge when it comes down to figuring out a contract.

(With all this fielding stuff, let me mention he wasn't even the worst Red Sox outfielder defensively according to UZR/150. Jacoby Ellsbury takes that honor with his impressive -18.3 -- third worst in the MLB. Hooray for Vernon Wells' impressive dropoff in production!)

But we've killed fielding into the ground. It's dead. We know about Bay's inefficiencies. Now let's talk about what he does right.

Bay's OPS of .921 was second best in the American League for qualified left fielders (Adam Lind was No. 1) and his .384 was second. His BB% of 15 was second in the major leagues ... and so was his K% (30.5). He also had the second most home runs for left fielders in the MLB (the last three stats, he trailed only Adam Dunn. Boy, they're just a little similar, huh?)

So what's more important: Bay's great offense or Bay's poor defense?

Let's put it this way. Who would you rather play left field for the Boston Red Sox, Jason Bay or Nyjer Morgan?

Morgan was arguably the best defensive left fielder in baseball last season, but his bat isn't anything to write home about. Here's his full line:

	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
2009 - Nyjer Morgan	49	191	35	67	9	2	1	12	11	25	24	7	.351	.396	.435

(NOTE: Those are Morgan's stats from his time with Washington, not with Pittsburgh too. He batted .277 with the Pirates.)

I'm sure a lot of you look at those stats and go, "Yes! I'd much rather have Morgan if his defense is true." But really, you're looking at another player like Ellsbury -- except better defensive.

Admit it, you'd miss the power bat in the middle of the lineup. Defense wins games, but without offense, you'll never win games. A player might go to bat five times in a game, but never have a ball hit to them in the field in the same game. So where do you want your player to be better?

Perhaps it's not a fair argument, because I know a lot of you will say: "Screw Morgan. Give me Holliday." Sure, and I get that argument, but I think it comes down to give and take. Which would you rather have: nine great defenders who can't hit, or nine great hitters who can't field.

That's what we're struggling with Bay.

11/19 - My Bad, Tito is Awesome

2009-11-19T10:15:08Z

Terry Francona Hopes Red Sox Re-Sign Jason Bay - NESN.com

Of course. He's a player's manager, and he wants to support the guy who he thinks will be signed, right? I mean, he's one of those guys that believes heart and sportsmanship wins games...

Coaches Tim Bogar, DeMarlo Hale to Step Up Following Departure of Brad Mills - Terry Francona - NESN.com

Wow, he explains why "team chemistry" is a load of bull. Maybe I was wrong about Tito...

Our Manager is a Closet Stat Geek? - Yawkey Way Academy

Tito needs to talk about stuff like this more often - I was totally wrong when I said Tito was loyal to a fault. My bad. I really hope we get to see the saberfriendly Tito in action a lot more this season, so that we'll at least know what the thought process is if there's a controversial decision.

VORP v RARP - Inside the Book

Since ESPN has decided that VORP can be grasped by our feeble minds, you might as well find out how it compares to Baseball Prospectus's OTHER value stat.

What John Henry Can Learn From Belichick’s 4th and 2 - Fire Brand of the American League

Still, despite the loss, the second-guessing, and the media advocating for everything short of an all-out lynching of BIll Belichick, John Henry should use this occasion as an opportunity to learn something from Robert Kraft.

Since there's a couple Pats fans on here, this link will probably mean more to y'all.

After the jump, a look at the pay scale for the 2009 free agents, "modern" Moneyball, and some recognition for some of the most important Sox of the decade.

How much did the 2009 free agents sign for, per win?

Apparently 1 year deals ain't such a bad idea.

Defense and the Modern Moneyball - Yawkey Way Academy

Boston's Shortstop of the Future is Right Under Our Noses - NESN.com

Yay, the MSM has finally take a liking to Je- wait, what? Iglesias? How is he any sort of secret at this point?

Chone Figgins Could Add Explosive Dimension to Boston's Offensive Strategy - NESN.com

If you're going to make the argument, I'd recommend not using steals as your #1 support - it's been proven that they aren't nearly as valuable as most people think.

Jason Varitek Needs to Knuckle Down, Catch Tim Wakefield - NESN.com

Jason Varitek has come up with clutch hits and incredible defensive plays, he's called a record four no-hitters and he has maintained order in a clubhouse with personalities like Manny Ramirez and Carl Everett. However, if Varitek wants to make the most of his next -- and potentially, his final -- season of Boston baseball, then the captain is going to have learn how to catch the knuckleball.

Okay, not only is this factually wrong (he caught Wake when he first joined the Sox), it's also dumb. The argument of getting Vic rest should be used for Tek catching either Dice or Beckett, the two who "need" him.

All-Aughts Team of the Decade LF: Manny Ramirez - Fire Brand of the American League

What, you were expecting Bay or something? Oh, wait, Hermida's going to be our LF next season, so he'd obviously be a better choice.

All-Aughts Team of the Decade RP1: Mike Timlin - Fire Brand of the American League

Still have the urge to blindfold myself at the mention of his name, but that's not important.

All-Aughts Team of the Decade RP3: Alan Embree - Fire Brand of the American League

Closed out the 2004 ALCS, then proceeded to spiral into relative oblivion.

Comments, links, and general discussion to keep the irritable among us happy with new material would all be greatly appreciated.

Ells has a new jersey number. Two things: 1) Hahaha at anyone who thought he'd stick with 46 and...

2009-11-19T00:32:24Z

Ells has a new jersey number. Two things: 1) Hahaha at anyone who thought he'd stick with 46 and bought a jersey/shirt. 2) Anyone know the significance of the #2 for him, or is it just the first low number he could grab?

Red Sox Release George Kottaras

2009-11-18T17:19:13Z

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

7 months ago: Boston Red Sox catcher George Kottaras, right, stands with Jason Varitek during a spring training baseball practice in Fort Myers, Fla., Tuesday March 31, 2009. With only a few days left before the team heads North to start the regular season, Kottaras is positioned to possibly break spring training camp as part of the Red Sox roster.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Browse more photos »

WEEI's Alex Speier reports that George Kottaras has been granted his unconditional release by the Red Sox.

With the 40-man roster deadline bearing down and with 4 other catchers already taking up slots (Martinez, Varitek, Brown, and Wagner), the Sox chose to release Kottaras.

Kottaras played in 45 games last year, batting .237/.308/.387 while acting as Tim Wakefield's personal catcher for much of the year.

While Kottaras had 1 home run and 10 RBI, his most memorable moment with the Sox was likely when fellow ex-Sox John Smoltz placed a bubblegum bubble on his hat in the dugout without Kottaras knowing. Hilarity ensued.

Good luck wherever you land, Kott. Unless, of course, you follow in Kevin Cash's footsteps and sign with the Yankees.

Minor League Update -- 11/16/09

2009-11-16T20:16:28Z

Jose Iglesias is not to be kept down. via cache.daylife.com

View full size photo »

First, a weekly reminder to join in on voting for the OTM Top Prospects list here

Arizona Fall League

Only one more week for the AFL and the Sox' biggest name prospects playing this offseason.

Luis Exposito: 3-9, BB -- .295/.340/.409

Jose Iglesias: 8-16, 3 2B, BB, K -- .293/.348/.439

-And just when it looked like he was going to follow through on that "no bat" prediction. A roller coaster stint for Iglesias is so much better than a flatline.

Ryan Kalish: 5-14, HR, 3 BB, 3 K -- .306/.392/.387

-Finally, some of the power! But it's Kalish's continued OBP and patience (BB% of ~12.5) that are really impressive.

Casey Kelly: 3-9, 4 K -- .241/.353/.345

-Y'know, I think Kelly's skills as a shortstop probably get underrated. It's hard to pick things up when everyone is already in midseason form and you're just starting out. Not to mention it seems like he really could have a nice bit of pop for a middle infielder.

Still want him to be a pitcher though...

Randor Bierd: 4 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K – 5.40 ERA, 13:10 K:BB, 1.29 WHIP

Richie Lentz: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K – 1.98 ERA, 13:2 K:BB, .88 WHIP

-Everybody has a bad game sometimes. Lentz' season is still something to write home about after his crappy year in Portland

Chris Province: 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 0 BB, 0 K – 3.86 ERA, 8:4 K:BB, 1.03 WHIP

Dustin Richardson: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 3 K – 5.91 ERA, 16:9 K:BB, 1.97 WHIP

-I'm starting to notice a trend as far as earned runs are concerned...

Columbian Winter League

Reynaldo Rodriguez: .213/.310/.311

-Wow, that must've been one bad week.

Puerto Rican Winter League

The late-starting Puerto Rican League started play this week. Only Aaron Bates and Jorge Jimenez saw playing time among Sox players so far.

Aaron Bates: 1-8, 3 K -- .125/.125/.125

Jorge Jimenez: 2-7, HR -- .286/.444/.714

-Two hit by pitches! He's an on base machine!

Sydney Winter League

Boss Moanaroa: 2-4, 2B, K -- .409/.500/.500

-Boss is seeing some time in the corner outfields in Sydney. Committed an error, though.

Moko Moanaroa: 2-4, 3B -- .278/.409/.389

-Though corner outfielder Moko is playing center, so perhaps it's just a matter of level of talent?

Venezuelan Winter League

Yeiper Castillo: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K – 5.68 ERA, 4:5 K:BB, 1.74 WHIP

-Castillo bucks the trend, but in the wrong direction.

Felix Doubront: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K – 1.74 ERA, 3:2 K:BB, 1.06 WHIP

-Not a big "peripherals" year for Doubront.

Ryan Westmoreland Looking Good

The Providence Journal reports that Ryan Westmoreland's recovery is coming along quite nicely. Westmoreland suffered a broken collarbone after running into an outfield wall in the process of making a catch. If Westmoreland is as well as reported, it seems very likely that he won't miss any more baseball due to this injury.

Peter Gammons Chimes In

Gammons had a few notes on Iglesias—not much more than the usual other than this bit:

"What impressed me is that he squares the ball," says an NL scout. "He's not some overwhelmed teenager. He squares the bat on the ball. He shows some pop, and with his speed, if he learns to steal bases, could be a pretty good offensive player."

First time I can remember having heard positive scouting on Iglesias' bat. Maybe he's just having a hot streak, but there's no reason not to hope.
Gammons also notices a long-developing trend in the Sox' minor league system involving depth at shortstop and catcher. While the Sox may not have a wealth of top-level talent, they've been building up a large number of lesser names that could all turn out to be good major league talent at some of the league's most talent-bereft positions. Whether any of them hit remains to be seen, but between Wagner, Exposito, Federowicz and Lavarnway at Catcher, and Iglesias, Navarro, Gibson and Renfroe at SS, they've got some surprisingly good odds. Which is to say nothing of the under-18 group in Oscar Perez and Jose Vinicio.

Sox Acquire Stephen Fox, RHP, from Can-Am League

Fox is the second player acquired by the Red Sox from an independent league this year, joining Reynaldo Rodriguez. Fox had a rocky start to his year, but finished strong by posting a 1.90 ERA and 29 strikeouts in his final 24 innings of work, earning him a look from MLB teams.

So far, Reynaldo Rodriguez has struggled during his short time spent in Edgar Renteria's Columbia Winter League. Daniel Nava, another independent league acquisition, has been dominating every level of competition he's faced in the Sox' farm system, and is likely to start the year in Pawtucket.

Congratulations, Clay!

2009-11-16T19:38:33Z

Congratulations, Clay!

Our boy Buchholz got hitched over the weekend to Lindsay Clubine. Congratulations to the happy couple!

11/15 - Values, Defense, and Financial Planning

2009-11-15T10:00:17Z

Still trying to catch up. Hopefully, I'll have a short night of homework sometime this week and I can post a bunch of links. Anyways, here's a bunch of more recent links (I'll save the still-relevant ones from earlier this week for later).

First, since I promised it to ferret:

Criminals of WAR - THT

I'm guilty of several of these offenses. Good reminder that it's not the end-all stat.

And now, some fielding fun:

How the Gold Gloves Work - Inside the Book

Try to avoid puking.

2010 UZR Projections - Beyond the Box Score

And guess who's projected as the worst CF?

With the Jumping and the Diving and the Whole Thing - The Baseball Analysts

Web Gems counting, for giggles.

Why Jason Bay is still unsigned - Extra Bases

Kinda old, but it still applies; it's not like he's signed somewhere yet.

After the jump, money, plans, and the minor leaguers.

Most of the Money Has Already Been Spent - Fenway West

Depends if Theo really is planning to go up to the CBT, but even then, the majority of the budget has been eaten up.

The Red Sox Are Cheap Bastards. Acquire Jeremy Hermida Now Pursuing Hideki Matsui - Masshole Sports

Red Sox fans should be asking what the hell is going on? Lord knows Im baffled.

Just thought I'd sum up this link for y'all.

Report: Yankees Trademarked 'Yankees Suck' Chant In 1996 - The Onion

Someone with an education in intellectual property, can you tell me if acronyms are considered the same as the words they represent? Not completely related, just wondering if "MFY Suck" would count, when the MFY finally do this.

Pay the price for Gonzalez - Chad Finn's Touching All The Bases

Well written and pretty convincing.

Mariners launch new online matchmaking service for sharing season tickets - Mariners.com

Very well run club, and now that they have a good GM, the team should start catching up to the fans.

Trade Market: Closers - MLBTradeRumors.com

The Matsuzaka Plan takes shape - Extra Bases

Dusty got him to attend the Atheletes' Performance Institute. I'd imagine a short, angry man doesn't have that much trouble convincing people do things.

Here’s a thought: Votto, Harang to Boston? - Fire Brand of the American League

This idea sounds amazing now - but how much would it cost? It would push Vic to the bench on his off-days, but I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

Hideki Matsui: An Ageless Talent - Arn Tellem - The Huffington Post

An agent has taken to the web to get his client signed; had to happen eventually. Now if someone would just publish the entire copy of one of Boras' small novels, we'd be entertained for weeks.

All-Aughts Team of the Decade C: Jason Varitek - Fire Brand of the American League

Damn, I thought Mirabelli had it locked up.

All-Aughts Team of the Decade SP5: Tim Wakefield - Fire Brand of the American League

And he'll only be on the team for one year next decade. That's going to be an emotional year for Timmeh, now that he's made it clear it will be his last. (Although I'd laugh if he manages to get the record this season by some crazy twist.)

Michael Bowden May Still Have Something to Offer Red Sox - NESN.com

Most people remember Bowden's short-lived stint with the Red Sox in 2009 by his performances against the Yankees, which included the good, the bad and the ugly. But no one's ability and talent should be judged on just three outings, even if they were against the world champions.

Well, duh.

A look at Red Sox prospect Casey Kelly - THT

Nothing groundbreaking, but a good look from outside OTM. Same goes for these two links:

Scouting Report : Jacoby Ellsbury - Bleacher Report

Scouting Report : George Kottaras - Bleacher Report

Interesting take on Kott's defense.

11/14 - Return of the Links

2009-11-14T10:00:18Z

I'm back from my vacation/travels/schoolnight-curfew. And, I brought LINKS. I'll have to dig through a whole pile of them that I built up while away, but this should hold y'all over till then.

(My apologies if I link to something that's already been linked to before; I don't recommend cramming a week of OTM into 90 minutes.)

The triumph of Moneyball - THT

What was the impact of the book that Billy Beane didn't write?

Did it cause OBP and salary to correlate better, as is popularly believed?

MLB Exec: Moneyball is a Flop - New York Baseball Digest

Chances this is a MFY executive? Seriously, the person who said this isn't going to win over any sabermatricians by justifying his position with the results of sabermetric GM's teams.

Fun With The Elias Rankings - Lookout Landing

A very brief glance at the awful awful Elias free agent rankings.

This is just sad. So very, very sad. In fact, I need something to cheer me up...

Guest Harry Pavlidis examines Bard’s breaking ball - Fire Brand of the American League

BARD!!!! Always fun to talk about him.

Trades Of The Decade: Hanley Ramirez For Josh Beckett & Mike Lowell - MLBTradeRumors.com

Who didn't see this one coming?

After the jump, arbitration notes, examinations of the old guys on the team, and slightly less rumors than your standard high school (assuming my observations from the bottom of the social ladder are correct).

Arbitration-Eligible Players - The Biz of Baseball

Wagner Willing to Take Arbitration - Yawkey Way Academy

Pitch F/X strike zones included to show the trend of Wagner's pitches over the past few years. He has a few issues, but they aren't alarming, according to the Academy.

Jason Varitek’s Fast Decline in 2009 - Tom's Bombs of Thought

This, on the other hand... I'm just going to move on.

Offseason storylines are plentiful - Yahoo! Sports

New York Yankees widen the gulf: The roadmap for the rich to get richer is easy to navigate. Re-sign Damon as a DH; sign Holliday or Bay to play left field; sign Lackey to bolster the starting rotation; re-sign Andy Pettitte(notes) for one more season after offering him arbitration to chase off other suitors. Then, one year from now, sign catcher Joe Mauer(notes) when he hits free agency. Seem implausible? All it takes is that green stuff oozing out of Yankee pores.

That is just evil. It's not going to make anyone feel better either. Well, we could talk about big moves we're going to make; in fact, let's do that:

Are The Sox Getting Ready To Make A Big Splash? - Boston Sports Pulse

Eww... math. At least someone did it for us - interesting to see the available money, based on Theo's comments. This is kind of the update to BTLove's FanPost from a month ago, with new information. Of course, now we get to guess what Theo wants to do...

Pirates Could Trade Doumit - MLBTradeRumors.com

Any interest left over? No? Okay, moving on.

Player Profile: Matt Holliday - Intro to Sabermetrics 101

It should come as no surprise that corner outfielder Matt Holliday is at the top of every team’s wish list. The outfielder split the season between the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals and excelled as he always had back in his days at Coors Field with the Colorado Rockies. How much can we expect Holliday to be worth? Let’s take a look.

Yes, please.

Making the Age 31 Comparison - Yawkey Way Academy

Who do we want?!? HOLLIDAY!!!!

Red Sox Interested In Matsui? - Boston Sports Pulse

NOOOOO.... As you can see, the passion flows on this topic. I don't get this rumor either, unless Theo&Co. think there's something wrong with Papi for this season. This had better not be a backup plan for LF, because it won't work.

Comments, links, guesses about when the next Filter will be published (I'll try to get one up for tomorrow), and general discussion is acceptable.

Over the Monster Top 20 Prospects Voting: #1

2009-11-13T20:03:20Z

Lars Anderson, last year's consensus #1, has likely fallen. Who will take over in his place? via

View full size photo »

It's that time of year again, folks. This year, we're going to be compiling the top 20 prospects in the farm system according to you, the Over the Monster readers, and it will likely be somewhat less cut and dry this time around given the rather seismic nature of the minors this year. We're trying out a new Google Docs based system to make the voting more open. I've provided write ups of 15 of the Sox' best prospects, but voting is not limited to them by any means. Just type in a name and submit.

Lars Anderson

Age: 22 | Position: 1B | Level: AA

2008: .317/.408/.513 (A+) | .316/.436/.526 (AA)

2009: .233/.328/.345

Considered by most to be the Red Sox' top prospect at the beginning of the year, Lars Anderson's stock has dropped significantly following a dismal 2009 campaign. Still, Anderson remains a top name in the farm system. He has huge power potential which he had displayed in earlier years, which combined with great plate patience should be the recipe for a top offensive player.

Michael Bowden

Age: 23 | Position: SP | Level: AAA

2008: 2.33 ERA, 101:24 K:BB, .92 WHIP (AA) | 3.38 ERA, 29:5 K:BB, 1.13 WHIP (AAA)

2009: 3.13 ERA, 88:47 K:BB, 1.21 WHIP

If Lars was first last year, Michael Bowden was almost always second. Like Lars, Bowden has also had something of a discouraging year, but unlike Lars, Bowden's problems came at the major league level, where he was pounded, giving up 17 runs in 16 innings. Still, Bowden is young and impressed at AAA, where for much of the year he was outshining Clay Buchholz. The righty has a low-90s four-seamer, a high-80s two-seamer, a curve with a lot of movement, a very good circle change, and a recently added mid-80s slider which has yet to come along.

Felix Doubront

Age: 22 | Position: SP | Level: AA

2008: 3.67 ERA, 118:24 K:BB, 1.21 WHIP (A)

2009: 3.35 ERA, 101:52 K:BB, 1.41 WHIP

After a breakout 2008, Prince Felix has been rocketing through the Sox system at an impressive pace. Almost entirely skipping advanced-A and making a seemingly seamless transition into AA, Doubront is poised to start 2010 at AAA—something nobody could've predicted when he posted an 8.93 ERA in Greenville in 2007. Doubront is a 3-pitch pitcher with a fastball that sits in the high 80s, a good change, and a curveball. Though his fastball is nothing special, his unique delivery can fool batters.

Luis Exposito

Age: 22 | Position: C | Level: AA

2008: .283/.328/.508 (A) | .301/.331/.509 (A+)

2009: .274/.332/.427 (A+) | .337/.371/.489

Providing much needed hope for the Red Sox behind the plate, Exposito has displayed a great deal of talent both at and behind the plate. At the plate, Expo is an above average power threat for his position, with a good power swing. He makes a fair deal of contact, but doesn't have the speed to make too much use of it. Instead, Expo would likely be better off working on his discipline, which has netted him only 48 walks in over 800 plate appearances over the last two years. Behind the plate, Luis has great defensive catching skills, but needs to work a bit on the mechanics of his throw to translate arm strength into caught baserunners. Exposito is a clubhouse favorite, notably acting as combination best friend and interpreter to fellow prospect Jose Iglesias.

Reymond Fuentes

Age: 18 | Position: CF | Level: Rookie (GCL)

2009: .290/.391/.379

The new kid on the block, it's hard to mention Fuentes without drawing comparisons to Jacoby Ellsbury. Lots of speed, little pop, not much of an arm, with a tendency for the spectacular. Fuentes is currently lacking in discipline both on the basepaths, where he stole 9 bases in 14 attempts, and at the plate, where he managed only 7 walks in over 150 appearances. Still, both are areas that are likely to improve with professional experience, and Fuentes already has one key advantage over Jacoby: his ability to make good reads.

Derrik Gibson

Age: 19 | Position: SS | Level: Short Season

2008: .309/.411/.394 (Rookie) | .086/.233/.086 (Short Season)

2009: .290/.395/.380

A hidden gem of the Sox system, Derrik Gibson is an absolute on base machine. His plus speed nets him a high average along with a very good number of stolen bases (28 in 33 attempts last year), and his discipline keeps him on the basepaths. Gibson is a plus defender in the middle, and projects to remain at short or second throughout his career. The one obvious knock on Gibson is that he seriously lacks power, and may well not hit more than 2 or 3 home runs in an average year—he has yet to hit one in the minors.

Jose Iglesias

Age: 19 | Position: SS | Level: ? (A-AA)

The newer kid on the block, Jose Iglesias is already drawing attention in Arizona, where observers say there's a lot to the hype Iglesias had coming in as a top defender. Descriptions like "MLB ready" "plus" and even "Ozzie Smith like" have done nothing to lower expectations. The question with Iglesias remains if he will be able to perform offensively. While there is no doubt he is still raw, so far Jose has performed surprisingly well in a limited sample size against the elite Arizona Fall League competition, where he's currently batting .286/.344/.446 with two homers. While speed is not the reason why Iglesias is such a remarkable defender, he does bring a bit to the table, and is 3-for-3 in attempts so far.

Ryan Kalish

Age: 21 | Position: CF | Level: AA

2008: .281/.376/.356 (A) | .233/.305/.397 (A+)

2009: .304/.434/.504 (A+) | .271/.341/.440

One half of 2009's pair of breakout outfielders, Kalish started the year on fire as his power emerged for the first time. Kalish hit 5 homers in 115 at bats in Salem before being promoted to Portland, where he experienced a decent post-promotion slump. Kalish was not to be kept down, though, and ended the season making AA look as easy as A+, even if the season totals seem unremarkable. Kalish has great patience at the plate, consistently managing high OBPs, and is an above average fielder, showing a good arm, range, and glove. Kalish could pan out as either a center fielder or right fielder. One underrated aspect of Ryan's game is his speed, which has regularly netted him about 20 stolen bases a year with a high success rate.

Casey Kelly

Age: 20 | Position: SP/SS | Level: A+

2008: .173/.229/.255 (Rookie) | .344/.344/.563 (Short Season)

2009: .214/.290/.464 (Rookie) | .224/.305/.313 (A)

2009: 1.12 ERA, 39:9 K:BB, .85 WHIP (A) | 3.09 ERA, 35:7 K:BB, .87 WHIP

Perhaps the greatest source for angst in the Sox' farm system is Casey Kelly's position decision: shortstop, or pitcher? It would seem an obvious choice through 2 years, as Kelly is already pushing AA as a starter, but is clearly not ready to leave A-ball as a shortstop. Unfortunately, Kelly has stated his personal preference for shortstop a few times, and so the angst continues. As a pitcher Kelly mixes in a plus curveball and good changeup with his low-90s fastball. He's got great control over all his pitches and is not going to give up a lot of free passes or high meatballs as a result. As a shortstop, Kelly is a plus defender who has shown some potential for good power, but has yet to consistently get on base.

Yamaico Navarro

Age: 22 | Position: SS | Level: AA

2008: .280/.341/.412 (A) | .348/.393/.508 (A+)

2009: .319/.373/.543 (A+) | .185/.270/.304 (AA)

A solid defender with a potentially big bat, Navarro makes solid contact with regularity and has enough power to make a few of them leave the park. Not a hugely disciplined hitter, Navarro is going to have to continue to hit the ball or refine his approach if he wants to be productive at higher level, as his average speed will not bail him out. Navarro is not a plus defender, but will not make you uncomfortable if slotted in at second, short, or third.

Stolmy Pimentel

Age: 19 | Position: SP | Level: A

2008: 3.14 ERA, 61:17 K:BB, 1.08 WHIP (Short Season)

2009: 3.82 ERA, 103:29 K:BB, 1.39 WHIP

With a signing bonus of just $25,000, Stolmy Pimentel is looking like one of the Sox' best international bargains. The tall righty has a fastball that can reach the mid 90s with a potentially plus curve and change. Pimentel has the ability to generate swings and misses without offering up a lot of walks, which should serve him well as he moves up through the organization

Josh Reddick

Age: 22 | Position: CF | Level: AAA

2008: .340/.397/.491 (A) | .343/.375/.593 (A+) | .214/.290/.436 (AA)

2009: .277/.352/.520 (AA) | .127/.190/.183

The Sox' most MLB-ready position prospect, Reddick has cut through the Sox' farm system in a mere 3 years' time. Reddick is a versatile outfielder likely to end up in either center or right depending on who you ask. In center, Reddick would likely have around MLB average range—maybe less, given the recent rise of the position defensively speaking—but would be capable none-the-less. Reddick also has a cannon arm with great accuracy. At the plate, Reddick makes good contact and brings a good deal of power to the table with the potential for more as he matures. Josh has struggled with discipline in the past, but seems to be coming around some, improving to a BB% of around 10 last year.

Anthony Rizzo

Age: 20 | Position: 1B | Level: A+

2009: .298/.365/.494 (A) | .295/.371/.420 (A+)

After missing much of 2008 following a diagnosis of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Rizzo has stormed back from his illness and established himself in the upper echelon of Sox prospects. Rizzo brings an advanced approach to the plate and combines it with a strong bat that, while currently being more of a doubles threat, has shown the potential to be a home run threat. Rizzo is a plus defender at first, with a great feel for the game and good range. Given his strong arm, it's not inconceivable that Rizzo could move to third down the line, though for now he projects much better as a first baseman.

Junichi Tazawa

Age: 23 | Position: SP | Level: AAA

2009: 2.57 ERA, 88:26 K:BB, 1.08 WHIP (AA)

Red Sox fans got to see a lot more of Tazawa than they expected to this year. After being predicted to start anywhere from high A to the MLB, Tazawa settled in at AA Portland and pitched very well. Shortly after being called up to AAA (where he pitched 2 games looking much like he had in Portland), Tazawa was rushed to the majors as injuries and mediocrity took their toll on the Sox' rotation. Things did not go well for him there, where he was pounded for 23 runs (21 earned) in 25.1 innings. So he's not ready for the MLB yet. Tazawa still looks every bit like he's got what it takes to be an MLB starter. His fastball sits around 90 MPH with some plus potential, but it's his wide assortment of off-speed pitches that makes Tazawa special. His curveball, slider, and forkball are all above-average pitches, the last 2 with plus potential. Unlike his Japanese compatriot Daisuke, Tazawa has a tendency to attack the zone and as a result does not walk a lot of guys. Future success in the majors will depend on if he can generate swings-and-misses on his secondary stuff.

Ryan Westmoreland

Age: 19 | Position: CF | Level: Short Season

2009: .296/.401/.484

The official Wunderkind of the Red Sox system, Westmoreland is an amazing all-around player. Offensively he brings an advanced approach to the plate resulting in a BB% of over 15, a power bat good for 7 home runs this year with potential for a good few more, and intelligence and speed (perhaps the fastest player in the entire system) on the basepaths that allowed him to steal 19 bases without being caught once. That speed is also a big part of what makes him a great defensive center fielder. So far Westmoreland has had some injury troubles—a torn Labrum last year, and a broken collarbone this year—but neither are the sort of injury that makes you think he's inherently fragile.

SBN Baseball Awards: Most Valuable Player

2009-11-12T11:00:12Z

More photos » by Tom Olmscheid - AP

9 days ago: FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009 file photo, Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer takes a throw as Detroit Tigers' Don Kelly slides home safe during a baseball game in Minneapolis. Catcher Mauer won the 2009 American League Gold Glove Award for fielding excellence on Tuesday Nov. 10, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid)

Browse more photos »

The one you've all been waiting for..

...but is there much of a surprise?

Here's one hint to the results: BS.UF is going to be freaking out when he sees one name on this list. And no, his name is not Jed Lowrie.

American League

Rk	Player	Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	Pts
1	Joe Mauer	Minnesota Twins	24	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	371
2	Ben Zobrist	Tampa Bay Rays	-	10	6	2	2	1	-	1	-	-	172
3	Mark Teixeira	New York Yankees	2	3	2	4	3	2	7	1	-	-	158
4	Derek Jeter	New York Yankees	1	5	3	4	4	2	1	1	2	1	157
5	Evan Longoria	Tampa Bay Rays	-	2	4	1	2	3	2	3	2	1	106
6	Zack Greinke	Kansas City Royals	2	3	2	1	1	-	2	-	-	-	92
7	Miguel Cabrera	Detroit Tigers	-	-	3	1	2	4	-	2	-	5	74
8	Kevin Youkilis	Boston Red Sox	-	2	-	-	1	3	1	8	1	-	69
9	Chone Figgins	Los Angeles Angels	-	-	-	3	4	1	-	1	3	1	60
10	Jason Bay	Boston Red Sox	-	1	-	4	2	-	-	1	-	2	54
11	Kendry Morales	Los Angeles Angels	-	-	4	-	-	1	-	-	1	-	39
12	Ichiro Suzuki	Seattle Mariners	-	-	1	-	2	-	1	2	2	3	37
13	Franklin Gutierrez	Seattle Mariners	-	-	-	1	1	1	3	-	1	2	34
14	Justin Verlander	Detroit Tigers	-	-	-	2	1	1	1	-	1	1	32
15	Felix Hernandez	Seattle Mariners	-	-	-	2	-	-	1	3	2	-	31
16	Jason Bartlett	Tampa Bay Rays	-	-	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	1	22
17	Alex Rodriguez	New York Yankees	-	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	18
18	Roy Halladay	Toronto Blue Jays	-	-	-	1	-	1	1	-	-	-	16
19	Adam Lind	Toronto Blue Jays	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	1	4	16
20	Dustin Pedroia	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	4	1	13
21	Bobby Abreu	Los Angeles Angels	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	1	-	12
22	Aaron Hill	Toronto Blue Jays	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1	-	-	12
23	Mariano Rivera	New York Yankees	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	1	9
24	Torii Hunter	Los Angeles Angels	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8
25	Brian Roberts	Baltimore Orioles	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	7
26	CC Sabathia	New York Yankees	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	6
27	Carl Crawford	Tampa Bay Rays	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1	6
28	J.D. Drew	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	5
29	Jon Lester	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	5
30	Jonathan Papelbon	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	5
31	Robinson Cano	New York Yankees	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	5
32	Victor Martinez	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	5
33	Michael Cuddyer	Minnesota Twins	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	4
34	Shin-Soo Choo	Cleveland Indians	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	4
35	Michael Young	Texas Rangers	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	3
36	Jacoby Ellsbury	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2
37	Jason Kubel	Minnesota Twins	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2
38	Alex Gonzalez	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
39	Nick Markakis	Baltimore Orioles	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1

Alex Gonzalez? YUP! A lot of Red Sox made this list, surprisingly. Not sure how that happened. OK, fine. E-Coli and I just ran the table. Not sure how my Nomar Garciaparra voted didn't end up here, though...

National League

Rk	Player	Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	Pts
1	Albert Pujols	St. Louis Cardinals	31	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	434
2	Hanley Ramirez	Florida Marlins	-	6	8	11	2	1	2	-	-	-	220
3	Chase Utley	Philadelphia Phillies	-	7	11	2	3	1	-	1	-	1	192
4	Prince Fielder	Milwaukee Brewers	-	5	4	4	7	7	1	-	-	-	186
5	Troy Tulowitzki	Colorado Rockies	-	4	1	5	2	3	3	4	1	2	134
6	Tim Lincecum	San Francisco Giants	-	4	1	-	1	2	2	3	1	-	79
7	Ryan Howard	Philadelphia Phillies	-	4	-	1	4	1	-	-	3	1	79
8	Ryan Zimmerman	Washington Nationals	-	-	1	3	3	3	3	1	-	2	79
9	Adrian Gonzalez	San Diego Padres	-	-	1	-	3	3	2	4	3	4	71
10	Pablo Sandoval	San Francisco Giants	-	-	-	1	2	2	2	3	4	3	57
11	Matt Kemp	Los Angeles Dodgers	-	-	1	1	1	1	5	3	-	1	56
12	Ryan Braun	Milwaukee Brewers	-	-	2	-	-	2	2	1	1	-	39
13	Chris Carpenter	St. Louis Cardinals	-	-	-	-	2	1	1	-	1	2	25
14	Derrek Lee	Chicago Cubs	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	1	3	2	25
15	Andre Ethier	Los Angeles Dodgers	-	-	-	-	1	2	2	-	-	-	24
16	Adam Wainwright	St. Louis Cardinals	-	-	-	1	-	-	1	1	4	1	23
17	Javier Vazquez	Atlanta Braves	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	2	1	16
18	Matt Holliday	St. Louis Cardinals	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	12
19	Joey Votto	Cincinnati Reds	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	11
20	Mark Reynolds	Arizona Diamondbacks	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	2	10
21	Todd Helton	Colorado Rockies	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	7
22	Jayson Werth	Philadelphia Phillies	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1	6
23	Adam Dunn	Washington Nationals	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	3	5
24	Juan Pierre	Los Angeles Dodgers	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	4
25	Justin Upton	Arizona Diamondbacks	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	4
26	Raul Ibanez	Philadelphia Phillies	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	4
27	Ubaldo Jimenez	Colorado Rockies	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	4
28	Brian McCann	Atlanta Braves	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	4
29	Dan Haren	Arizona Diamondbacks	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	4
30	Michael Bourn	Houston Astros	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	3
31	Yadier Molina	St. Louis Cardinals	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	3
32	Nyjer Morgan	Washington Nationals	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
33	Yunel Escobar	Atlanta Braves	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1

Pujols somehow pulled out the narrow victory. Solid. We should see the same when the real results are released next week.

Jason Varitek Exercises Player Option

2009-11-11T23:10:28Z

Now it's official: Jason Varitek will be back as a Red Sox next year:

Jason Varitek's 10-year run as the Red Sox's primary catcher is over. But his reign in Boston isn't.

Despite the club's decision to decline its $5 million option on Varitek this week and general manager Theo Epstein saying he expects Victor Martinez to be the everyday guy behind the plate, the Red Sox captain chose to exercise his $3 million player option on Wednesday afternoon and will thus return to Boston for a 14th season in 2010.

No shocker here (that sounds familar). Varitek will be back as the Sox's backup catcher in 2010.

SBN Baseball Awards: Cy Young

2009-11-11T11:00:28Z

by Tony Gutierrez - AP

7 months ago: Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Zack Greinke delivers to the Seattle Mariners in the second inning of a spring training baseball game in Peoria, Ariz., Sunday, March 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

View full size photo »

Now we're getting to the big boy awards.

We've given away our Manager and Rookie of the Year awards, but today we reveal the winner of the Cy Youngs.

Maybe there will be a shocker. Maybe us bloggers found out that Zack Greinke doesn't believe in Santa Claus. Or maybe Tim Lincecum's pot bust made us all revert our votes and give him 3rd placers.

Maybe, but probably not.

American League

Rk	Player	Team	1st	2nd	3rd	Pts
1	Zack Greinke	Kansas City Royals	28	1	-	143
2	Felix Hernandez	Seattle Mariners	-	17	6	57
3	Justin Verlander	Detroit Tigers	-	8	9	33
4	Roy Halladay	Toronto Blue Jays	1	2	11	22
5	C.C. Sabathia	New York Yankees	-	1	2	5
6	Jon Lester	Boston Red Sox	-	-	1	1

Did I vote for Lester? Perhaps. I honestly can't remember. But hey! He was in the hunt!

National League

Rk	Player	Team	1st	2nd	3rd	Pts
1	Tim Lincecum	San Francisco Giants	18	13	-	129
2	Chris Carpenter	St. Louis Cardinals	9	4	7	64
3	Adam Wainwright	St. Louis Cardinals	4	4	10	42
4	Javier Vazquez	Atlanta Braves	-	5	7	22
5	Dan Haren	Arizona Diamondbacks	-	3	4	13
6	Ubaldo Jimenez	Colorado Rockies	-	1	1	4
7	Cliff Lee	Philadephia Phillies	-	-	1	1
8	Jair Jurrjens	Atlanta Braves	-	-	1	1

Marijuana does a body good, apparently.

The Sox love their new Cuban shortstop, Jose Iglesias. Epstein said that as they search for a...

2009-11-11T00:21:53Z

The Sox love their new Cuban shortstop, Jose Iglesias. Epstein said that as they search for a shortstop for this season, it's with the knowledge that Iglesias is the shortstop of the future.

No answer yet from Varitek - Extra Bases - Red Sox blog

Change 'Dem Sox!: Jim Thome A Red Sox In 2010?

2009-11-10T12:00:38Z

by Mark Avery - AP

2 months ago: FILE - In this May 25, 2009 file photo, Chicago White Sox's Jim Thome watches the ball fly after hitting a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Angels in the third inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif. The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Thome from the Chicago White Sox on Monday night, Aug. 31, 2009. Also joining the Dodgers' lineup is right-hander Jon Garland, who came over from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The deals were announced in the top of the eighth inning of the Dodgers-Diamondbacks game, with both trades completed before the midnight EDT deadline required for postseason eligibility. (AP Photo/Mark Avery, File)

View full size photo »

There are so many things wrong with Jim Thome going to the Red Sox that as I propose the idea, I'm also going to talk myself out of it.

It sounds messed up -- and it is -- but follow me on the journey, won't you?

Let's just get the obvious out of the way in reasons why the Sox and Thome aren't a match:

Can't play defense. The only person that doesn't play defense on the Red Sox is David Ortiz. Do we need two Ortiz-like defenders? One is bad enough.
Might have better offers elsewhere. He could probably be the starting DH for a lot of American League teams, including the White Sox, who could bring the slugger back.
Lefties dominate him. OK, dominate is not the word for a player with 564 career home runs. Let's just say he's not as good against lefties as he is righties.

Randy, you made a good case against yourself. Good job. Now let's turn the page and talk about why Thome could be a fit with the Red Sox.

First of all, Thome is a slugger. Even at the age of 38 last season, Thome hit 23 home runs in 107 games with the White Sox. He had an .891 OPS before the All-Star break last year. It doesn't matter who the batter is, we'll take that. While his batting average might not be the prettiest, he can still put good wood on the ball.

Thome is also a perfect candidate for the Sox because he has a fantastic batting eye. His lifetime .404 OBP (with a .277 batting average) would make him fit right in with players like Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, J.D. Drew, Victor Martinez and, potentially, Jason Bay (and hopefully whoever our new shortstop is).

OK, he can hit for power and get on base. That's a good combo. What else? He's going to be cheap. He made $13 million last year in his time between the Dodgers and White Sox, but I will guarantee right now that Thome will not sign for more than $5M this offseason. There is no way. If he does, I will change my avatar to Evan Longoria for one month. And I hate Evan Longoria.

Signing Thome would be kind of like the Sox signing John Smoltz, Takashi Saito and Brad Penny last year. Three guys who are obviously past their primes, but Theo Epstein still sees that they can contribute somehow. Well, Penny did all right -- he wasn't a complete bust. Smoltz was a complete bust. And Saito was great. So if Thome's between Penny and Saito, I'll be happy.

Thome would be great insurance for the Sox if David Ortiz decided to hit like David Ortiz pre-June 2009. If Ortiz falters, we can stick Thome in the lineup on occasion and, hopefully, he doesn't falter. Thome is like the white version of David Ortiz ... and I really can't see many more differences than that, to be honest.

The only thing that would make Thome better is if a) he hit lefties better (that way, Ortiz smashes righties and Thome smashes lefties -- a great combo) and b) Thome could really play defense. But then again, if Thome could do both of those things, he would be going for more than $5M this offseason.

With Thome, the Sox would get a power hitter off the bench that has a great batting eye (not to mention a great clubhouse guy, from all reports). The downsides are the fact he's older and can't play defense, but he'd provide substantial pop off the bench and could help the Sox if anything happens to Ortiz in 2010.

Call me crazy, but I'm pulling for Randy to be right in this debate.

Poll

Over the Monster

Make Your Own "Abraham Abominaters" Team

David Oritz admonishes Red Sox for not adding power. 2007 WS year they scored 867 runs, hit 166 HR....

Terry Francona Wants A Pitcher: How About Chris Capuano?

Over the Monster Top 20 Prospects Voting #2: Kelly Takes the Top Spot

Once Again, David Ortiz Wants Another Power Bat

Top 10 Moments Of The 2009 Season: We Need Your Suggestions

Who Would You Rather Have: Jason Bay or...?

11/19 - My Bad, Tito is Awesome

Ells has a new jersey number. Two things: 1) Hahaha at anyone who thought he'd stick with 46 and...

Red Sox Release George Kottaras

Minor League Update -- 11/16/09

Congratulations, Clay!

Congratulations, Clay!

11/15 - Values, Defense, and Financial Planning

11/14 - Return of the Links

Over the Monster Top 20 Prospects Voting: #1

SBN Baseball Awards: Most Valuable Player

American League

National League

Jason Varitek Exercises Player Option

SBN Baseball Awards: Cy Young

American League

National League

The Sox love their new Cuban shortstop, Jose Iglesias. Epstein said that as they search for a...

Change 'Dem Sox!: Jim Thome A Red Sox In 2010?

Who's right in this debate?