The GMs are meeting in Chicago this week and the much-talked-about winter meetings are coming up next month. So far this offseason, the Red Sox have traded for Jeremy Hermida, declined options on Alex Gonzalez and Tek, negotiated a new deal with Wake, and picked up V-Mart's option. Jason Bay is, or will soon be, a free agent.
That said, let's put aside that pesky thing called reality for a moment and take a look at my dream 2010 Red Sox team, a team that could challenge the Yankees, Angels, Rays, Rangers, or any other team that decides it wants to have a monster year.
First, the position players:
1B : Adrian Gonzalez--Make it happen, Theo, PLEASE!!!!
2B: Dustin Pedroia--No-brainer there.
SS: A guy with a decent stick and a decent glove. Any suggestions?
3B: Kevin Youkilis--Move Youk to 3rd full time.
C: Victor Martinez--Another no-brainer
LF: Jason Bay or Matt Holliday
CF: Jacoby Ellsbury--Speed's always a good thing
RF: JD Drew--Great defense and can put up some good offense too.
DH: Mike Lowell or David Ortiz--Gonna be a tough choice, that one!
Bench: Jeremy Hermida (OF), Jed Lowrie (SS, 2B, 3B) Backup catcher with good arm and good defense, Fifth outfielder/Second backup infielder
SP #1: Felix Hernandez or Roy Halladay
SP #2: Jon Lester
SP #3: Josh Beckett
SP#4: Daisuke Matsuzaka/Clay Buchholz
SP #5: Tim Wakefield/Rich Harden or some other FA pickup with recent American League experience
Bullpen: Daniel Bard, Hideki Okajima, Ramon Ramirez, Jonathan Papelbon, plus two more pickups, one of whom is a lefty.
Number one priority should be getting Adrian Gonzalez. They NEED a bat like his if they want to compete in a division that also includes the Bronx Bombers. He's also very good defensively. Fielder may have a great bat now, but with his size, I worry that he'll be in for a M0 Vaughn-esque decline in a few years. It will take a helluva lot to get him, but he's one of very few players who is worth it. Even if it means losing someone like Ellsbury or Buchholz. Seeing Ellsbury or Buchholz go would be very tough and I really hope it doesn't come to that, but getting a player like Gonzalez is an opportunity the Sox can't afford to pass up on. Not in the AL East.
Number two priority: Another starting pitcher. While the Sox probably don't have the chips to land both King Feliz or Halladay and Gonzalez, Lackey is available in free agency. Rich Harden would be a "reclamation project" worth trying because he pitched in the AL as recently as two years ago. Lester has the potential to be a #1 starter and I think he his very close to becoming one, but he needs to find his groove a little earlier in the season. Last year, it took until almost the end of May. Beckett these days is more like a #2 because he really only had that one outstanding year with the Red Sox, 2007. We saw some of that excellence this past season, but we also saw stretches where he served up gopher balls like it was going out of style.
Number three priority: Shortstop. This should be priority #2a, really. The Sox need a good everyday shortstop and they haven't been able to find what they want since Nomar left at the '04 trade deadline. Alex Gonzalez has a great glove, but the bat is generally subpar, despite the tear he went on at the end of last season. Jed Lowrie was too hampered by a left wrist injury to contribute anything at the plate last year and needs to prove that he can stay healthy. Signing FA Marco Scutaro is a possibility, but he's getting on in baseball years and depending on him to replicate his career '09 season this year might be asking a little too much. J.J. Hardy would have been worth a shot, but the Twins snapped him up.
Number four priority: Backup catcher. Sad to say, at this point I hope Tek does not exercise his $3 million player option with the Red Sox and opts instead to retire or give free agency another try. I appreciate what he has done for the team over the years, but his skills have declined to the point that he can no longer be effective the second half of the season. And that's just with the bat. Defensively, he has struggled as well, with passed balls and allowing an astonishing number of stolen bases. Part of the stolen base thing is on the pitcher, but a catcher with a stronger and more accurate throwing arm would help. V-Mart is almost as bad with allowing stolen bases (and throwing the ball into the outfield) but his bat and ability to back up first base is more than enough to make up for that deficiency. Plus, V-Mart can catch Wake's knuckler.
My dream Red Sox team has a snowball's chance in hell of happening, but adding a key offensive piece and a few other complementary pieces, plus playing with more joie de vivre on the road, would go a long way.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
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