Jan. 28 TruFan Red Sox Webcast notes by Jared Carrabis
Guests: Steve Silva (BDD), Matt O'Donnell (Fenway West), Lisa Latino (YankeePrincess)


Red Sox Rotation Musical Chairs – Who's the odd man out?

· Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, John Lackey – Guaranteed rotation spots.
· Daisuke Matsuzaka, Clay Buchholz, Tim Wakefield.

· Tim Wakefield to ESPNBoston.com: "I did make the All-Star team last year. It seems every year, and I don't know why, my name gets brought up like this when I don't feel I need to prove myself every day. I don't know where the rumors are coming from, but I try not to pay attention. I know my role and I know what my approach is going to be when I get to spring training: be a starter and help us win the World Series. Hopefully they respect me enough to give me the ball when we get to spring training as a member of this rotation. I think I've earned the right to be a full-time starter and go from there."

Why to include Daisuke Matsuzaka in the rotation:
· Biggest reason: the roughly $104 mi...READ MORE!

Published on January 28, 2010 See Comment(s)

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Let's address Boston's winter performance, shall we? by Mike Ghika
Sox are positioned well for 2010 and beyond


So yes, I've been out of commission for quite some time here on the blog, but what better time to regain your composure with the holidays a thing of the past and the pitchers and catchers' report date only about a month away? Here is a tightly-packed collection of thoughts on the hot-button topics of the offseason thus far, with minimal criticism from myself at most, because the Sox' assembling of the 2010 team has been done with a pristine plan in mind.

On the loss of Jason Bay: It seems as if the Sox had been going through the motions on a Bay deal since the All-Star break, when talks inconsequently broke down because of management's fears over the left fielder's health and defense moving forward. Personally, I think even more so it came down to the simple question: Is Bay the right guy to anchor this lineup for years to come? At $16 million per year, he was never going to hit .330, and it is hard to argue in his favor that he could consistently match his career highs of ...READ MORE!

Published on January 14, 2010 See Comment(s)

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New-look Sox to bring new result in '10? by Jared Carrabis
A look at the 2010 Red Sox compared to the '09 squad


When fans tune in to Opening Day on April 4, 2010, what they will see is a team that has a vast difference from the team that was swept away by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Almost awkwardly, the captain that the city of Boston has held dear to their hearts over the years will be commanding the ship from the bench come Opening Day. Though Jason Varitek remains with the team, he will no longer be relied on nearly as heavily as he was prior to the arrival of perennial All Star, Victor Martinez.

Despite the drastic change, the Red Sox front office and the fans of Boston should not be surprised, as this "changing of the guard" of sorts practically took place almost instantly after Martinez's trade to Boston. Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein didn't publicly announce that Martinez would be taking over the bulk of the Red Sox's catching duties until earlier this winter, but it essentially already happened and was already assumed by players and fans alike....READ MORE!

Published on January 06, 2010 See Comment(s)

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