Red Sox Off-season Report Card from SI

[BoSox34]

Boston Red Sox

Widely ridiculed for their stunning, $51.1 million posting price for Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boston's big international gambit turned out to be the best move anyone made this winter. They wound up securing Matsuzaka for $103 million, or $23 million less than the Giants paid for Barry Zito, nor even counting the $5 million to $7 million or so they will earn through marketing/branding opportunities. Julio Lugo is a better offensive player than Alex Gonzalez, and J.D. Drew is an upgrade over Trot Nixon, assuming they get that contract done someday.
Grade: A.

I have to agree with SI here, I like all of the offseason moves the Red Sox have made especially the Dice-K signing. While Drew and Lugo were most certainly overpaid, IF Drew can remain healthy he will certainly prove to be a productive bat in the 5 hole and if Lugo doesn't mimic how he finished the season with the Dodgers, I can say he has the ability to do the same.

[brewersfan19]

No disrespect here, but at best I would have to give them a B. Who is going to close up games for the Sox? Unless, I am forgetting something here, their bullpen is their weak link to being a dominant team!! Since Papellbon (sp.) is going to be a starter.

[BoSox34]

No disrespect here, but at best I would have to give them a B. Who is going to close up games for the Sox? Unless, I am forgetting something here, their bullpen is their weak link to being a dominant team!! Since Papellbon (sp.) is going to be a starter.

Right, but they haven't ruled out placing Papelbon back in the bullpen, so Im assuming that was also taken into account. That was brought up being that the Red Sox didn't managed to acquire a bonafied Closer this offseason. So with the Red Sox rotation being relatively deep and also considering Lester's eventual return, Paps MAY find himself back into the closers role.

[brewersfan19]

cool, thanks for the info.

[BoSox34]

But, your arguement is certainly valid. It all depends on who ends up being the closer and how well they do.

[realmofotalk]

They signed Joel Pineiro to be the closer. That is almost as bad as Dan Duquette's signing of Jose Awfulman to replace Mo Vaughn.

[BoSox34]

Pineiro has been discussed as the potential closer but that is not for certain. I believe they had intent of hoping he could win the job and he will certainly get his opportunity to prove himself, but nothing has yet to be set in stone.

[browntown653]

Maybe this is bias but I don't see how any team signing JD Drew to a 5 year, $70 million deal deserves an A. I don't care if they traded Manny's hair for Johan Santana, they still signed JD Drew to that contract (or are going to anyway). The Matsuzaka deal was tremendous but they still don't get an A.

[brewersfan19]

He may surprise you. That could be a good role for him. He never really matured into the starter Seattle hoped for when he came into the league. Maybe the change of scenery will help also! Although, Boston is sure a far ways from hame (Seattle), Dorothy!

[brewersfan19]

IMO, browntown, that is because the media is already hyping the Yankees/Red Sox series this year!!! The media wants Boston to rebound a bit more to make the rival that more intense. So, by giving the Sox an A, that might peak the interest of the baseball world. That is just my take. I am probably way off on that opinion!

[browntown653]

If you're talking about the Yankees/Sox and media hyping...you're probably right. I get as amped for this rivalry as anyone and I still don't have any doubt it's overhyped. But whatever brings attention to the game is good for baseball, so it's not gonna go away anytime soon.

[brewersfan19]

As baseball realist, I know baseball needs and hypes the series between those two teams. I do enjoy watching them play each other as well, but someone who does NOT live on the East Coast, gets a little sick of watching every game of the series between Yankees/Sox!!! I just wish they covered all the teams a little bit more. But I know the media needs their ratings as well! I agree bringing POSITIVE attention to the game is important too!

[realmofotalk]

He may surprise you. That could be a good role for him. He never really matured into the starter Seattle hoped for when he came into the league. Maybe the change of scenery will help also! Although, Boston is sure a far ways from hame (Seattle), Dorothy!

I don't know if you know this but Boston isn't the friendliest place for a struggling relief pitcher. When Derek Lowe was blowing save opportunities for the Red Sox he hid in the dugout until Fenway's parking lot was virtually empty.

[brewersfan19]

Oh I do know that realm, that is why I said this is home (Seattle) anymore, Dorothy. Wizard of Oz reference there. I know it is like NYC too!!!

[Fishercat]

I give the Sox a B.

An A for talent no doubt (they got the best SS, one of the best OF, and the best SP on the market IMO. Zito and Schmidt were not as good a risk as Dice-K was). But for the cash allocation, I think they did really poorly. The Sox can afford it, but for a 130 million dollar roster or so, the Sox may be running out Joel Piniero as their closer.