Massachusetts may still be the Bay State, but the Red Sox will no longer see him in the home locker room putting on his #44 jersey and playing in front of the Green Monster. Jason Bay's on his way to Flushing to play in not-quite-as-hitter-friendly Citi Field in a New York Mets uni. Well...at least it isn't that OTHER New York team, right???
When the Sox signed John Lackey and Mike Cameron earlier this month, the writing was on the wall as far as where they stood with Bay. When the offers didn't come pouring in from other teams--the Mets' offer being the only one out there besides the one he poo-pooed from the Red Sox--there was speculation that the Red Sox might revisit negotiations with the slugging Canadian who claimed to have sported a Red Sox onesie as a baby. If the were to do that, however, there would be a surplus of outfielders, including the one they just signed in Cameron. It is becoming increasingly less likely that Adrian Gonzalez will end up in a Red Sox uni by Opening Day and the idea of trading Ellsbury, who stole 70 bases last season, for anyone less than Gonzalez just doesn't make sense.
The Red Sox will miss Bay's 36 homers and 119 RBI, for sure. Offense was already a concern going into this off-season and now it has, on paper, gotten weaker. Without Bay, there is no legitimate 30-100 guy on the team. Youk comes just short of it, V-Mart comes close, and we just don't know what we're going to get ouf of Papi next year. Scutaro is an offensive upgrade at shortstop over Lugo/Lowrie/Green/Alex Gonzalez and a full season of V-Mart is better than less than half of one, but good pitchers are not going to be intimidated by this lineup. In the AL East, competing with the big sticks from the Bronx, this could be a problem.
Defensively, however, the Sox have significantly improved in several positions. Cameron's defense will be better than Bay's, even if his offense is a downgrade. Scutaro is a decent defensive SS and, while not quite Alex Gonzalez with the glove, is an upgrade over Lugo, Green, and probably Lowrie too. Defense at third depends on who's playing it next year. If Lowell is traded, it will likely be Youk. Youk's better defensively as a first baseman, but mobility-wise he would be a defensive upgrade on Lowell. Catcher is one area the Red Sox did not improve on defensively and that can also be problematic. Tek's defense has taken as sharp a decline as his offense, especially when it comes to throwing out baserunners. V-Mart is an average defensive catcher at best, but his bat is what means the most to the team. I'm concerned that Francona will use Tek more than he should out of loyalty and that could hinder the Sox both offensively and defensively.
The starting rotation looks to be the strength of the team going into 2010. Lester, Beckett, and Lackey in a 3-game series--I wouldn't want to be the other team! Dice, Buch, and Wake as 4, 5, and long reliever/spot starter/depth guy is much better than, say, Penny and Smoltz. As is the nature of the beast, it's hard to say what the Sox will get out of the bullpen from year to year. They'll have to keep their Ramon Ramirezes straight, for one thing. Bard and Paps are setup and closer, but the rest can be a crapshoot. MDC hasn't been dealt anywhere yet, so he's probably back. Boof Bonser will probably fit somewhere into the 'pen and it's anyone's guess how that will work out. Oki's back as well and could either be a lefty specialist or a 7th or 8th inning guy, depending on how things go in spring training and/or the beginning of the season. A stud lefty would be nice, since they lost Wagner to Atlanta.
The 2010 team will be a good one, but the jury's out as to whether it will be a great one. A lot of that depends on actually playing the games.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
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