The State of Sports Oct 31st

-Baseball

-Theo Epstein situation:
Ok, So we arent going to have Theo Epstien back next year. Im over it. And the move doesnt surprise me in the least. The man wants his privacy. Some people value it more than others, unlike David Wells who is a family man (as he states in his autobiography). Boston is a town where private matters are always public and its a very hostile environment if you cant handle it. Epstien handled it with class.

I am thinking this was a decision that he just went back and forth on. A decision that just went to the wire. He kept it private, because the media would have turned it into a negative. "How can he abandon us when its a big transition time with no really good free agents that can be signed?" or something like that. They have been saying the whole time about this front office quibble with Lucchino. I disagree with this analsis for the simple reason that in every front office your going to have diagreements. You are disagreeing with me right now I bet, but the fact remains that confict is only apart of human nature. Theo's job was to make the moves and Lucchino was supposed to approve them. When things are set up that way, your always going to have a conflict.

Bottom line is that Theo wanted his privacy, and it was a decision that no one could have predicted. The management prob knew before the off season, but I guess he just wanted to wait until the night the contract was up. Not to keep people guessing, because he himself was guessing the two weeks of the season. I dont think it was an issue of money either. If it was money he would have accepted the 3 year 1.5 million option the Sox gave him.

This isnt the end of Epstien. He will work with the management until spring training as a consultant. He will help the new GM make moves that are nessesary because they need someone in there who knows the situation. Will he make the exectutive decisions? I dont think so, but he will be someone to bounce ideas off of.


-Top priorities the Red Sox need to adress going into the off-season (in no particular order):
1) A veteran starting pitcher.
-The Red Sox need a #5 starter, badly. Lets say they trade away David Wells. The roation will be Schilling, Clement, Wakefield, Arroyo, and some other guy. People think it could be Wade Miller who has an option for this year. Gammons has said Papelbon. I disagree and think they will take a look at another leftie on the market. Maybe they will go with a #5 starter righty. Its something they need to adress.

2) An experienced bullpen
-The Sox will have Foulke coming back to close games once his knees get better from surgury. They will be signing Timlin, and will still have Bradford to set up, and it wouldnt be a bad idea to bring back Mike Myers. The sox have a lot of young arms they can bring up to help themselves out in the future at setup in the bullpen, middle and long relief. I would love to see Papelbon in middle relief. He needs to build up his endurance if they want to make him a starter in the future. He uses his fastball effectively and looses his endurance from relying on this pitch.
-Given these facts, I think the next logical move would be to get a bullpen that you can have to: teach the young guys (like Timlin will do and has been doing), anchor the bullpen, and give the sox some options in case of injuries. I would like to see a power pitching leftie setup man to complement Bradford, but I dont think I will get my wish.

3) Fourth-Fifth Outfielder
-Gabe Kapler coming back to the US was a godsend. The Sox need someone who can make Outfield spot starts, and as a defensive replacement in the field. You also would like someone with a little bit of speed, so that you can use him in pinch run situations. They thought that Jay Payton would do the job, but he wanted an everyday job. That just isnt gonna work.

4) First-Third base
-Will they sign someone to play either or and just have Youklis fill in the gap. I would like to see them resign Bill Mueller, and have Youklis play first. In seeing him at Pawtucket, I think he could go from day to day going back and forth at both positions. Mueller was a guy with the best work ethic on the team that is going somewhere else, I belive. The more I think about it, I like Youlkis to play everyday at the top of two of the order. They need someone who can get on base.
-I would love to see JT Snow in a Sox uniform. Good top of the order guy and a multiple gold glove winner. He can also play third, I believe. They wont resign Olerund. He was good for last year, but they want someone with some flexiblity.

5) Second base
-The sox have Dustin Pedroia waiting and he might be promoted this year, as Gammons has been speculating. I dont think this is whats going to happen. They will sign a stopgap for a year, and call up Pedroia in July-August, and ease him into it like they did with Papelbon. That is the best approach. You never want to rush someone. I just dont see him as the starting second baseman next year.
-I would love to see Rafael Furcal replace Damon at second base. That would be the best option that the Red Sox have to leadoff games. Hes also 27 and can play SS and second base. Damon has been firey and a problem in the clubhouse. His comment after game 3 of the ALDS really burns me the F* up.


-I will highlight what im thinking about Ramirez and hopefully more "Hot stove talk" in later posts