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Making tweets to the lineup? by Jared Carrabis
A tweet from Bobby Valentine's ESPN analyst past could predict his Red Sox managerial future
One of the great things about Twitter is that you can essentially archive your thoughts and feelings on a certain topic at a specific point in time.
For newly hired Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, his Twitter account, which was created to voice his opinions as an ESPN analyst, gives us a little bit of perspective as to how he is going to handle his new lineup. The Red Sox lineup, of course, was a major issue with Terry Francona, especially with Carl Crawford, as the left fielder was penciled in to every spot in the lineup besides cleanup and ninth.
In a tweet from Valentine that was sent out to his followers on April 9 (analyst said, "Good to see Crawford batting leadoff. I do not believe in the stuff about a guy batting a certain place in the order b...READ MORE!
Published on November 30, 2011 View Comment(s)
Sox Ownership Has Lost its Values by Mike Ghika
Closure in managerial search doesn't undo recent Red Sox disaster
At 6 p.m. on Tuesday evening, it was reported that Red Sox managerial candidate Gene Lamont was out of the running for the position. That report came via a tweet from ESPN’s Karl Ravech, who has been a colleague of soon-to-be Sox manager Bobby Valentine for quite some time now.
Less than a half hour later, Sox general manager Ben Cherington refuted that notion by saying there was nothing to report on Lamont.
Then what do you know? Local man Mike Lynch from Channel 5 tweeted at 7 p.m. that a verbal agreement was in place with Valentine.
And with that, finally, the Red Sox are no longer manager-less after what seemed to be an endless 60-day stretch.
But the drama that ensued late Tuesday evening was just the culmination of what has proven to be the dar...READ MORE!
Published on November 30, 2011 View Comment(s)
For the kids by Jared Carrabis
Pedro hosting toy drive to support the Jimmy Fund and the Pedro Martinez and Brothers Foundation
While we all know Pedro Martinez as the fierce competitor that he was on the mound for seven seasons with the Red Sox, it's important to know that his heart is greater than his Hall of Fame credentials.
Back in 1998, Martinez founded the Pedro Martinez and Brothers Foundation. To read more about the foundation and what they have accomplished since their inception, click here.
Martinez will host a toy drive at HomeGoods in Bedford, Massachusetts to support pediatric cancer patients at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the underprivileged youth in the Dominican Republic through the Pedro Martinez and Brothers Foundation.
The toy drive will be held on Saturday December 3, from 5pm to 7pm at HomeGoods, Great Road Shopping Center, 309 Great Rd. (Route 4, next to TJMaxx) in Bedford.
Attendees who donate two new, unwrapped toys during the event, will receive one...READ MORE!
Published on November 30, 2011 View Comment(s)
Just kidding by Jared Carrabis
Red Sox reportedly told players that they had no plans to "hire someone like Bobby Valentine"
Of course they did that. Of course the Red Sox told their players that they wouldn't hire someone like Bobby Valentine.
Why would the Red Sox have a positive news day without some drama and inner turmoil mixed in? It just wouldn't be right. According to Alex Speier over at WEEI.com who cites "multiple industry sources", "Red Sox officials told at least one player that the team had no plans to hire 'someone like Bobby Valentine.' "
Now Buster Olney's quote makes more sense. If you missed it, in READ MORE!
Published on November 30, 2011 View Comment(s)
Hire heard 'round the Hub by Jared Carrabis
Here's what the local and national baseball writers are saying about the Bobby Valentine hiring
I'm a big fan of NBC's HardballTalk baseball blog. Often, when a major baseball event occurs, they will do a segment called, "Here's what they're saying", where they grab quotes from writers, players etc. on the big event. My Twitter feed was filled with Bobby Valentine columns this morning, so I thought I'd put them all in one place for you guys today.
Obviously I read more than I regurgitate here on SoxSpace, but today I figured that it would be interesting to take a slice from both national and local baseball scribes so that you could get a feel for how everyone is reacting to Bobby Valentine becoming the next manager of the Red Sox.
Shamelessly, I'll put a snippet from myself first just in case you forgot: "Now that this managerial piece is finally in place, we will slowly start to see this 2012 Red Sox team start to form, as free agent players, for the most part, like to...READ MORE!
Published on November 30, 2011 View Comment(s)
Call off the search by Jared Carrabis
Bobby Valentine to be named the 45th manager of the Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox naming Bobby Valentine as their new manager has a little less shock value than when Mark McGwire admitted to using steroids.
It's like, yeah; we know. Let's just move on with our lives here.
ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes was the first to break the story, regardless of it being the worst kept secret in Boston since Josh Beckett being a beer enthusiast. In his tweet, Edes says Valentine "is expected here midafternoon Wednesday", as the 45th manager in Red Sox history is currently in Japan for charitable reasons.
For me, Valentine was my third pick to manage the 2012 Red Sox. Runner-up, I thought John Farrell would have been a great choice. First and foremost, I think Terry Francona should still have the keys to that manager's office, but we all know how that panned out.
I first met Valentine down in Arlington, Texas before Game 5 of the 2010 World Series. With the exception of Nomar Garciap...READ MORE!
Published on November 29, 2011 View Comment(s)
Commitment problems by Jared Carrabis
Free agent designated hitter David Ortiz reportedly "is looking for a three-year deal" this winter
You can't blame him for asking, but if you consider who it is that he's asking, you are surely allowed to raise an eyebrow or two.
Michael Silverman at the Boston Herald is reporting that free agent designated hitter David Ortiz is in search of a three-year deal. Well, if you're part of the re-sign Ortiz camp, you'd better hope that he's not completely set on that type of commitment.
Ortiz, who just turned 36 two weeks ago, has stayed pretty healthy over the last three seasons, since suffering a devastating wrist injury in 2008. Over his last three seasons, Ortiz has averaged 147 games, with a batting line of .272/.366/.515, and has averaged exactly 30 homers and 99 RBI over his last three years.
With that being said, you don't need me to tell you that while Ortiz controls the numbers that he produces to determine his annual salary, there's one thin...READ MORE!
Published on November 28, 2011 View Comment(s)
Source: 'Just between two' by Jared Carrabis
Michael Silverman reporting that the Red Sox have no interest in hiring Brad Mills as manager
Well, there goes that theory.
For a few weeks now, I've been hearing that the big holdup in deciding a new manager has partly been a result of the Red Sox waiting to see if the Houston Astros were going to dismiss their current manager, and former Red Sox bench coach, Brad Mills.
With the Astros clearing house, having fired their general manager who had two years remaining on his contract, many believed that Mills would be next. And if Mills were to be fired, FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal speculated whether or not he would be a candidate for the Red Sox managerial position.
Today, thanks to a tweet from the Boston Herald's Michael Silverman, we learned that the Red Sox will not entertain the idea of hiring Mills should he become available. Silverman cites a Red Sox source who says, "Just between two," with those two being Gene Lamont and Bobby Vale...READ MORE!
Published on November 28, 2011 View Comment(s)
Sundays with Cafardo by Jared Carrabis
Picking apart this Sunday's baseball column by the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo
In the return of one of SoxSpace's more popular features, I give you: Sundays With Cafardo, which is our weekly examination of Nick Cafardo's Sunday baseball column in the Boston Globe.
In this week's column, Cafardo hits on multiple Red Sox-related topics; some new tidbits, and some are not so surprising.
First on deck, Cafardo says that not handing Daniel Bard the closer's job would be a "slap in the face" to the right-handed reliever. Personally, I disagree and it's my opinion that Bard would need a real attitude adjustment if he felt this way. Why? Well, because the closer's spot, especially in a market like Boston, is something that should be earned. For the most part, Bard has yet to prove to me that he can handle the workload that a closer has to carry.
In addition to that, Bard taking over for Jonathan Papelbon has largely been a...READ MORE!
Published on November 27, 2011 View Comment(s)
Red or blue? by Jared Carrabis
Source says Red Sox have narrowed down managerial search to Bobby Valentine, Gene Lamont
I really don't know why the Red Sox insist on treating this managerial search like a dramatic scene out of Armageddon and act like they don't know which wire to cut.
According to Alex Speier over at WEEI.com, who cites a Red Sox team source (and we all know how awesome those are), the Red Sox have narrowed down their search to Gene Lamont and Bobby Valentine. They will not interview anyone new, nor will they pursue any other candidates...allegedly.
Spare me the Bruce Willis speech and the conflict of not knowing whether to listen to government officials or not. Cut the Gene Lamont wire and let's get this Bobby Valentine press conference rolling already.
If Larry Lucchino wants Bobby V, then we're getti...READ MORE!
Published on November 25, 2011 View Comment(s)
How about no, Toronto? by Jared Carrabis
Blue Jays wanted Clay Buchholz as compensation for letting John Farrell return to Red Sox
While we live out the final days of the pre-Bobby Valentine era here in Boston, we continue to learn more about the alternate routes that the Red Sox opted to seek before closing in on their new manager.
As we documented in the most recent John Farrell-related post, the Red Sox wanted Farrell as their manager from the get-go. He was the guy that made the most sense for the team in 2012, and he was certainly the guy that was the best fit moving forward.
We all know how Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos went on the record saying that he would not stand in the way of any of his employees from interviewing with another team. But that was until the Red Sox came calling for Farrell, to which the Jays responded by changing their team policy.
Of course, the Red Sox remained persistent and continued their efforts to pry Farrell from Toronto's grasp, and now we know why the talks never went anywhere.
READ MORE!
Published on November 24, 2011 View Comment(s)
Blue Jay Way, or no way by Jared Carrabis
Red Sox reportedly tried to get Blue Jays to "reconsider their position" on manager John Farrell
I'm disappointed that the Red Sox couldn't succeed in their efforts, but I certainly applaud them for trying.
In today's non-shocking news, according to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox tried to pry manager John Farrell from the Blue Jays.
If you recall, way back on October 23, the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo reported that Farrell had been the Red Sox' "preferred candidate" following the dismissal of Terry Francona.
On October 14, prior to any report of the Red Sox' interest in Farrell, Blue Jays' GM Alex Anthopoulos was quoted in an interview saying that he would not disallow any of his employees from seeking employment elsewhere in baseball.
It seeme...READ MORE!
Published on November 22, 2011 View Comment(s)
Good news for the Red Sox by Jared Carrabis
Under the new CBA, signing teams no longer have to forfeit draft picks for signing Type A relievers
This is exactly what I was hoping to come out of MLB's new collective bargaining agreement.
If you already know how the compensation process works, then feel free to skip down. But in the case that you are unfamiliar, allow me to explain.
Each offseason, free agents can either be labeled a Type A, Type B, or not qualify for either. The best of the best free agents are Type A free agents, and in the prior CBA, all signing teams were required to surrender their first-round draft pick to the team that they signed the player away from.
Free agent statuses had previously been determined by the Elias rankings, but that will no longer be the process under the new CBA.
One of the most elite closers in the game, Jonathan Papelbon embarked on his first free agent journey as a Type A free agent this offseason. Being that the Phillies signed the closer before the new CBA was agreed upon, the Phillies will...READ MORE!
Published on November 19, 2011 View Comment(s)
Papelbon says it's not about the money by Jared Carrabis
Former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon may be in Philadelphia, but his nose is still in Boston
I can't stand being lied to, but it's an even greater level of annoyance when the lie is so blatant that it becomes insulting to your intelligence.
Jonathan Papelbon has gone Pinocchio on the baseball world. Upon arriving in Philadelphia, Papelbon's first words to the media insinuated that his decision to leave Boston for the Phillies was not, and I repeat - was not - about the money.
"That (contract) doesn't really play a role. The biggest thing that plays a role is the ability to come here and win. I'm extremely excited. I think that we're going to be able to have ballclub that's going be able to go and compete for a championship. I think, for me, that's the biggest thing and that's all you can ask for."
Are you kidding me? Has there ever been a more blatant lie told in professional sports? Jonathan Papelbon? Not about the money? Am I hearing that...READ MORE!
Published on November 14, 2011 View Comment(s)
Hold your horses on Heath Bell by Jared Carrabis
Dan Hayes of North County Times says "good" chance Heath Bell accepts arbitration from Padres
If right-handed closer Heath Bell was on your wish list to replace Jonathan Papelbon, not so fast.
Since yesterday's news that sent shock waves around Red Sox Nation when Papelbon packed his bags for Philadelphia, I'm sure fans have been mulling over the list of free agent closers out there. And rightfully so, as this is one of the deepest free agent classes at that position in recent years.
While Papelbon's departure itself isn't all that shocking, it did come as a surprise as to who signed him and how soon after their recent headlines that they did so. Earlier in the week, the Phillies were reported to have had a four-year, $44 million agreement in place with closer Ryan Madson, but those reports were premature.
Days after the deal with Madson fell through, the Phillies reeled in Papelbon.
So now, the Red Sox find themselves on a long list of teams that are in the market looking for a closer, which includes the division rival Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles, al...READ MORE!
Published on November 12, 2011 View Comment(s)
Communication Breakdown by Jared Carrabis
Ben Cherington confirms Papelbon's agents never gave Red Sox a chance to match Phillies' offer
Well, it didn't take very long to get an answer to that question.
Minutes after news had broke that Jonathan Papelbon had reportedly agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, my first tweet in reaction to that was, "Wow. #Phillies have an agreement with Jonathan Papelbon. Did he even give the #RedSox a chance to match their offer? Big blow for Boston."
After an interview at Fenway Park with managerial candidate Torey Lovullo, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington spoke to media members in regards to Papelbon's departure.
In his comments, Cherington made public that not only did the Red Sox not make an offer to Papelbon, but the closer's agents did not contact Boston to allow them to match the Phillies' offer before agreeing to a four-year d...READ MORE!
Published on November 11, 2011 View Comment(s)
Phleeing for Philly by Jared Carrabis
Reports indicate that Jonathan Papelbon has agreed to a deal with Philadelphia Phillies
I'm not surprised, are you?
We all knew that this day was coming. I've been hitting on this for months, and even years here on SoxSpace. While some readers said that I was "bashing" Jonathan Papelbon, it turns out that I was just telling it like it is. We've all heard him drop hints from as early back as 2008. Papelbon wanted to "establish the market" for closers, that he "wouldn't mind" pitching for the Yankees, and that he was in the game to "make as much money" as he could while he was there.
All signs pointed towards Papelbon darting towards the highest bidder once he hit free agency, and alas, that is what we have here.
Kudos to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com for getting the scoop on Papelbon agreeing to a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies pending a physical. Salisbury also reports that the deal is worth somewhere in...READ MORE!
Published on November 11, 2011 View Comment(s)
Ticket Prices are Frozen at Fenway by Jared Carrabis
Red Sox announce that they will not be raising their ticket prices for the 2012 season
According to a press release by the team, the Red Sox will not raise their ticket prices in 2012, which will be the 100th season of Red Sox baseball at Fenway Park.
Next season will mark the second time in the last four years that the Red Sox have opted not to raise their ticket prices, which rank among the tops in the MLB regardless.
Despite increasing some ticket prices in 2011, the Red Sox did, however, freeze 70 percent of their tickets last season. As always, tickets will first go on sale at the Red Sox' annual "Christmas at Fenway" event, which will be held on Saturday, December 10th.
The statement released by the Red Sox on their ticket prices staying at 2011 levels is as followed:
"John Henry, Tom Werner, and the members of our Front Office spend considerable time each year discussing ticket pricing and policies for the following season, and as a group we make a concerted effort to look at our business through the prism of Red Sox fans. Over the last several years...READ MORE!
Published on November 08, 2011 View Comment(s)
Heyman: Phillies 'had talks' with Papelbon by Jared Carrabis
Jon Heyman reports Phillies "determined" to sign either Jonathan Papelbon or Ryan Madson
There are only a handful of teams with a vacancy at the closer's spot, and the money required to sign Jonathan Papelbon, and the Philadelphia Phillies are certainly one of them.
Late Monday night, SI.com's Jon Heyman tweeted, "#phillies also have had talks with papelbon. Seem determined to sign either pap or madson. like their style."
Last week, SoxSpace broke down Papelbon's worth, so we won't get into that here. But the Phillies' involvement is surely something new and interesting to add to the conversation.
Last season, the Phillies trotted out right-hander Ryan Madson as their closer, who racked up a career-best 32 saves, while posting a 2.37 ERA and 1.154 WHIP. While Papelbon was just one save shy of equaling Madson's total for 2011, Papelbon's 0.933 WHIP is far more impressive, as is 87/10 strikeouts to walks ratio in 64.1 innings, compared ...READ MORE!
Published on November 07, 2011 View Comment(s)
Ode to the Duke by Jared Carrabis
Dan Duquette returns to Major League Baseball as new general manager of the Baltimore Orioles
Here's to you, Mr. Former General Manager of the Boston Red Sox, Newly Hired By The Baltimore Orioles As Their New GM Guy.
As you probably heard over the weekend, Dan Duquette, the pride of Dalton, Massachusetts, is back in Major League Baseball as the new general manager of the Baltimore Orioles.
As someone who has gotten the chance to have met Dan, and have several baseball-related conversations with him over the past couple of years, I couldn't be happier for him. Prior to his ten-year hiatus from the MLB, Duquette had a big hand in engineering the 2004 World Series Red Sox team. And before his tenure here in Boston, Duquette was very influential in driving up fan interest north of the border for the Montreal Expos.
If you hopped on the Red Sox bandwagon after 2004, then meet the man that drafted Nomar Garciaparra, traded for Pedro Martinez on two separate occasions, flipped Heathcliff Slocumb ...READ MORE!
Published on November 07, 2011 View Comment(s)
Heads still rolling by Jared Carrabis
Is the Red Sox' firing of their strength and conditioning coach merited, or just another scapegoat?
When the Red Sox completed their collapse in September, everyone had to be thinking the same thing: Heads are going to roll.
Well, heads have certainly been rolling ever since. The Red Sox have changed GMs, dumped their manager, the pitching coach is gone, and now they have fired their strength and conditioning coach and assistant trainer.
Personally, I think this was a "saving face" decision. Kind of like a "Hey look! We're doing something about all this!" kind of move. According to the WEEI report, "the Red Sox plan on restructuring some of their approach toward the strength, conditioning and medical side of the organization heading into '12."
On September 20, ESPN's Buster Olney made an appearance on WEEI's Mutt and Merloni show, and shared that s...READ MORE!
Published on November 03, 2011 View Comment(s)
Silver Sluggin' by Jared Carrabis
Numbers breakdown of Silver Slugger-winners Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz, and Jacoby Ellsbury
For the second night in a row, a trio of Red Sox teammates took home home hardware, with Jacoby Ellsbury and Adrian Gonzalez highlighting both nights.
On Tuesday, Ellsbury, Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia were all rewarded with Gold Gloves, and on Wednesday, Ellsbury and Gonzalez's names were called again to claim the Silver Slugger award, along with Boston's designated hitter, David Ortiz. Gonzalez and Ellsbury became the first pair of teammates in Red Sox history to win both awards in the same season.
Like the Gold Glove, the Silver Slugger is also voted upon by managers and coaches in both the American and National League. This year was just the second time that three Red Sox had won a Silver Slugger in the same year, with the first year being in 2005 when Manny Ramirez, Jason Varitek and Ortiz won the honors.
It goes without saying that Ellsbury was the most deserving of the three to win this award, which was his first. The outfielder, who will surely fall somewhere in the t...READ MORE!
Published on November 03, 2011 View Comment(s)
Mo Money, Mo Problems by Jared Carrabis
Jonathan Papelbon looking for Mariano Rivera money, but will he get it, and is he worth it?
This obviously comes as no surprise, but Jonathan Papelbon may have priced himself out of a Red Sox uniform.
In his weekly appearance on WEE's Mutt and Merloni, Peter Gammons discussed several Red Sox-related topics, but when hitting on the subject of Papelbon's future in Boston, Gammons said, "How much are they going to be willing to pay a closer? Papelbon and his agents are going to be looking for about what they say the Red Sox offered Mariano Rivera, which is three times {$15 million]. Is somebody going to go out and give it to him?"
Well, before you can really answer whether or not the Red Sox will give him $15 million annually, why don't we take a look at what he's actually worth.
According to FanGraphs, the performance that Papelbon turned in during the 2011 season would be valued at $...READ MORE!
Published on November 02, 2011 View Comment(s)
Golden Trio by Jared Carrabis
Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez all take home Gold Glove awards
I wish I could get excited about three Red Sox players taking home a Gold Glove award, but I really can't.
Last night, Rawlings announced their Gold Glove award-winners, and the Red Sox stole the show. Adrian Gonzalez took home his third Gold Glove, Dustin Pedroia won his second, and Jacoby Ellsbury picked up his first.
For those who were unaware, the Gold Glove awards are voted on by the managers and coaches in each respective league. In my opinion, these are the last guys that should be voting on these awards if Rawlings wants them to have any credibility whatsoever.
At the very most, managers and coaches are seeing opposing players 19 times a year. And that's at the very most. A lot of these guys, you're only going to see them six times a year. I find it hard to believe that these managers and coaches are going to sit down at the end of the year, and seriously crunch the numbers to try and find the best defensive players in the league to form an educated vote.
W...READ MORE!
Published on November 02, 2011 View Comment(s)
Grady's Ladies at Fenway? by Jared Carrabis
With injury-prone outfielders proving to be a theme, Red Sox interested in Grady Sizemore
Could Grady's Ladies be migrating to the bleachers at Fenway Park this summer?
On Friday, we explored the possibility of the Red Sox signing free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran, who they have been coveting for over a year now. Well, you can add another name to the list of potentials to succeed JD Drew in right field next season and beyond.
According to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, who cites a team source, the Red Sox are going to explore the option of signing outfielder Grady Sizemore, who had his $9 million option for 2012 declined by the Cleveland Indians.
Now, this isn't a matter of the Indians knowing something that we don't. It's public knowledge that Sizemore has had his fair share of troubles staying healthy. He hasn't been able to play more than 106 games ...READ MORE!
Published on November 01, 2011 View Comment(s)
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A tweet from Bobby Valentine's ESPN analyst past could predict his Red Sox managerial future
One of the great things about Twitter is that you can essentially archive your thoughts and feelings on a certain topic at a specific point in time.
For newly hired Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, his Twitter account, which was created to voice his opinions as an ESPN analyst, gives us a little bit of perspective as to how he is going to handle his new lineup. The Red Sox lineup, of course, was a major issue with Terry Francona, especially with Carl Crawford, as the left fielder was penciled in to every spot in the lineup besides cleanup and ninth.
In a tweet from Valentine that was sent out to his followers on April 9 (analyst said, "Good to see Crawford batting leadoff. I do not believe in the stuff about a guy batting a certain place in the order b...READ MORE!
Published on November 30, 2011 View Comment(s)
Sox Ownership Has Lost its Values by Mike Ghika
Closure in managerial search doesn't undo recent Red Sox disaster
At 6 p.m. on Tuesday evening, it was reported that Red Sox managerial candidate Gene Lamont was out of the running for the position. That report came via a tweet from ESPN’s Karl Ravech, who has been a colleague of soon-to-be Sox manager Bobby Valentine for quite some time now.
Less than a half hour later, Sox general manager Ben Cherington refuted that notion by saying there was nothing to report on Lamont.
Then what do you know? Local man Mike Lynch from Channel 5 tweeted at 7 p.m. that a verbal agreement was in place with Valentine.
And with that, finally, the Red Sox are no longer manager-less after what seemed to be an endless 60-day stretch.
But the drama that ensued late Tuesday evening was just the culmination of what has proven to be the dar...READ MORE!
Published on November 30, 2011 View Comment(s)
For the kids by Jared Carrabis
Pedro hosting toy drive to support the Jimmy Fund and the Pedro Martinez and Brothers Foundation
While we all know Pedro Martinez as the fierce competitor that he was on the mound for seven seasons with the Red Sox, it's important to know that his heart is greater than his Hall of Fame credentials.
Back in 1998, Martinez founded the Pedro Martinez and Brothers Foundation. To read more about the foundation and what they have accomplished since their inception, click here.
Martinez will host a toy drive at HomeGoods in Bedford, Massachusetts to support pediatric cancer patients at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the underprivileged youth in the Dominican Republic through the Pedro Martinez and Brothers Foundation.
The toy drive will be held on Saturday December 3, from 5pm to 7pm at HomeGoods, Great Road Shopping Center, 309 Great Rd. (Route 4, next to TJMaxx) in Bedford.
Attendees who donate two new, unwrapped toys during the event, will receive one...READ MORE!
Published on November 30, 2011 View Comment(s)
Just kidding by Jared Carrabis
Red Sox reportedly told players that they had no plans to "hire someone like Bobby Valentine"
Of course they did that. Of course the Red Sox told their players that they wouldn't hire someone like Bobby Valentine.
Why would the Red Sox have a positive news day without some drama and inner turmoil mixed in? It just wouldn't be right. According to Alex Speier over at WEEI.com who cites "multiple industry sources", "Red Sox officials told at least one player that the team had no plans to hire 'someone like Bobby Valentine.' "
Now Buster Olney's quote makes more sense. If you missed it, in READ MORE!
Published on November 30, 2011 View Comment(s)
Hire heard 'round the Hub by Jared Carrabis
Here's what the local and national baseball writers are saying about the Bobby Valentine hiring
I'm a big fan of NBC's HardballTalk baseball blog. Often, when a major baseball event occurs, they will do a segment called, "Here's what they're saying", where they grab quotes from writers, players etc. on the big event. My Twitter feed was filled with Bobby Valentine columns this morning, so I thought I'd put them all in one place for you guys today.
Obviously I read more than I regurgitate here on SoxSpace, but today I figured that it would be interesting to take a slice from both national and local baseball scribes so that you could get a feel for how everyone is reacting to Bobby Valentine becoming the next manager of the Red Sox.
Shamelessly, I'll put a snippet from myself first just in case you forgot: "Now that this managerial piece is finally in place, we will slowly start to see this 2012 Red Sox team start to form, as free agent players, for the most part, like to...READ MORE!
Published on November 30, 2011 View Comment(s)
Call off the search by Jared Carrabis
Bobby Valentine to be named the 45th manager of the Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox naming Bobby Valentine as their new manager has a little less shock value than when Mark McGwire admitted to using steroids.
It's like, yeah; we know. Let's just move on with our lives here.
ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes was the first to break the story, regardless of it being the worst kept secret in Boston since Josh Beckett being a beer enthusiast. In his tweet, Edes says Valentine "is expected here midafternoon Wednesday", as the 45th manager in Red Sox history is currently in Japan for charitable reasons.
For me, Valentine was my third pick to manage the 2012 Red Sox. Runner-up, I thought John Farrell would have been a great choice. First and foremost, I think Terry Francona should still have the keys to that manager's office, but we all know how that panned out.
I first met Valentine down in Arlington, Texas before Game 5 of the 2010 World Series. With the exception of Nomar Garciap...READ MORE!
Published on November 29, 2011 View Comment(s)
Commitment problems by Jared Carrabis
Free agent designated hitter David Ortiz reportedly "is looking for a three-year deal" this winter
You can't blame him for asking, but if you consider who it is that he's asking, you are surely allowed to raise an eyebrow or two.
Michael Silverman at the Boston Herald is reporting that free agent designated hitter David Ortiz is in search of a three-year deal. Well, if you're part of the re-sign Ortiz camp, you'd better hope that he's not completely set on that type of commitment.
Ortiz, who just turned 36 two weeks ago, has stayed pretty healthy over the last three seasons, since suffering a devastating wrist injury in 2008. Over his last three seasons, Ortiz has averaged 147 games, with a batting line of .272/.366/.515, and has averaged exactly 30 homers and 99 RBI over his last three years.
With that being said, you don't need me to tell you that while Ortiz controls the numbers that he produces to determine his annual salary, there's one thin...READ MORE!
Published on November 28, 2011 View Comment(s)
Source: 'Just between two' by Jared Carrabis
Michael Silverman reporting that the Red Sox have no interest in hiring Brad Mills as manager
Well, there goes that theory.
For a few weeks now, I've been hearing that the big holdup in deciding a new manager has partly been a result of the Red Sox waiting to see if the Houston Astros were going to dismiss their current manager, and former Red Sox bench coach, Brad Mills.
With the Astros clearing house, having fired their general manager who had two years remaining on his contract, many believed that Mills would be next. And if Mills were to be fired, FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal speculated whether or not he would be a candidate for the Red Sox managerial position.
Today, thanks to a tweet from the Boston Herald's Michael Silverman, we learned that the Red Sox will not entertain the idea of hiring Mills should he become available. Silverman cites a Red Sox source who says, "Just between two," with those two being Gene Lamont and Bobby Vale...READ MORE!
Published on November 28, 2011 View Comment(s)
Sundays with Cafardo by Jared Carrabis
Picking apart this Sunday's baseball column by the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo
In the return of one of SoxSpace's more popular features, I give you: Sundays With Cafardo, which is our weekly examination of Nick Cafardo's Sunday baseball column in the Boston Globe.
In this week's column, Cafardo hits on multiple Red Sox-related topics; some new tidbits, and some are not so surprising.
First on deck, Cafardo says that not handing Daniel Bard the closer's job would be a "slap in the face" to the right-handed reliever. Personally, I disagree and it's my opinion that Bard would need a real attitude adjustment if he felt this way. Why? Well, because the closer's spot, especially in a market like Boston, is something that should be earned. For the most part, Bard has yet to prove to me that he can handle the workload that a closer has to carry.
In addition to that, Bard taking over for Jonathan Papelbon has largely been a...READ MORE!
Published on November 27, 2011 View Comment(s)
Red or blue? by Jared Carrabis
Source says Red Sox have narrowed down managerial search to Bobby Valentine, Gene Lamont
I really don't know why the Red Sox insist on treating this managerial search like a dramatic scene out of Armageddon and act like they don't know which wire to cut.
According to Alex Speier over at WEEI.com, who cites a Red Sox team source (and we all know how awesome those are), the Red Sox have narrowed down their search to Gene Lamont and Bobby Valentine. They will not interview anyone new, nor will they pursue any other candidates...allegedly.
Spare me the Bruce Willis speech and the conflict of not knowing whether to listen to government officials or not. Cut the Gene Lamont wire and let's get this Bobby Valentine press conference rolling already.
If Larry Lucchino wants Bobby V, then we're getti...READ MORE!
Published on November 25, 2011 View Comment(s)
How about no, Toronto? by Jared Carrabis
Blue Jays wanted Clay Buchholz as compensation for letting John Farrell return to Red Sox
While we live out the final days of the pre-Bobby Valentine era here in Boston, we continue to learn more about the alternate routes that the Red Sox opted to seek before closing in on their new manager.
As we documented in the most recent John Farrell-related post, the Red Sox wanted Farrell as their manager from the get-go. He was the guy that made the most sense for the team in 2012, and he was certainly the guy that was the best fit moving forward.
We all know how Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos went on the record saying that he would not stand in the way of any of his employees from interviewing with another team. But that was until the Red Sox came calling for Farrell, to which the Jays responded by changing their team policy.
Of course, the Red Sox remained persistent and continued their efforts to pry Farrell from Toronto's grasp, and now we know why the talks never went anywhere.
READ MORE!
Published on November 24, 2011 View Comment(s)
Blue Jay Way, or no way by Jared Carrabis
Red Sox reportedly tried to get Blue Jays to "reconsider their position" on manager John Farrell
I'm disappointed that the Red Sox couldn't succeed in their efforts, but I certainly applaud them for trying.
In today's non-shocking news, according to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox tried to pry manager John Farrell from the Blue Jays.
If you recall, way back on October 23, the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo reported that Farrell had been the Red Sox' "preferred candidate" following the dismissal of Terry Francona.
On October 14, prior to any report of the Red Sox' interest in Farrell, Blue Jays' GM Alex Anthopoulos was quoted in an interview saying that he would not disallow any of his employees from seeking employment elsewhere in baseball.
It seeme...READ MORE!
Published on November 22, 2011 View Comment(s)
Good news for the Red Sox by Jared Carrabis
Under the new CBA, signing teams no longer have to forfeit draft picks for signing Type A relievers
This is exactly what I was hoping to come out of MLB's new collective bargaining agreement.
If you already know how the compensation process works, then feel free to skip down. But in the case that you are unfamiliar, allow me to explain.
Each offseason, free agents can either be labeled a Type A, Type B, or not qualify for either. The best of the best free agents are Type A free agents, and in the prior CBA, all signing teams were required to surrender their first-round draft pick to the team that they signed the player away from.
Free agent statuses had previously been determined by the Elias rankings, but that will no longer be the process under the new CBA.
One of the most elite closers in the game, Jonathan Papelbon embarked on his first free agent journey as a Type A free agent this offseason. Being that the Phillies signed the closer before the new CBA was agreed upon, the Phillies will...READ MORE!
Published on November 19, 2011 View Comment(s)
Papelbon says it's not about the money by Jared Carrabis
Former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon may be in Philadelphia, but his nose is still in Boston
I can't stand being lied to, but it's an even greater level of annoyance when the lie is so blatant that it becomes insulting to your intelligence.
Jonathan Papelbon has gone Pinocchio on the baseball world. Upon arriving in Philadelphia, Papelbon's first words to the media insinuated that his decision to leave Boston for the Phillies was not, and I repeat - was not - about the money.
"That (contract) doesn't really play a role. The biggest thing that plays a role is the ability to come here and win. I'm extremely excited. I think that we're going to be able to have ballclub that's going be able to go and compete for a championship. I think, for me, that's the biggest thing and that's all you can ask for."
Are you kidding me? Has there ever been a more blatant lie told in professional sports? Jonathan Papelbon? Not about the money? Am I hearing that...READ MORE!
Published on November 14, 2011 View Comment(s)
Hold your horses on Heath Bell by Jared Carrabis
Dan Hayes of North County Times says "good" chance Heath Bell accepts arbitration from Padres
If right-handed closer Heath Bell was on your wish list to replace Jonathan Papelbon, not so fast.
Since yesterday's news that sent shock waves around Red Sox Nation when Papelbon packed his bags for Philadelphia, I'm sure fans have been mulling over the list of free agent closers out there. And rightfully so, as this is one of the deepest free agent classes at that position in recent years.
While Papelbon's departure itself isn't all that shocking, it did come as a surprise as to who signed him and how soon after their recent headlines that they did so. Earlier in the week, the Phillies were reported to have had a four-year, $44 million agreement in place with closer Ryan Madson, but those reports were premature.
Days after the deal with Madson fell through, the Phillies reeled in Papelbon.
So now, the Red Sox find themselves on a long list of teams that are in the market looking for a closer, which includes the division rival Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles, al...READ MORE!
Published on November 12, 2011 View Comment(s)
Communication Breakdown by Jared Carrabis
Ben Cherington confirms Papelbon's agents never gave Red Sox a chance to match Phillies' offer
Well, it didn't take very long to get an answer to that question.
Minutes after news had broke that Jonathan Papelbon had reportedly agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, my first tweet in reaction to that was, "Wow. #Phillies have an agreement with Jonathan Papelbon. Did he even give the #RedSox a chance to match their offer? Big blow for Boston."
After an interview at Fenway Park with managerial candidate Torey Lovullo, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington spoke to media members in regards to Papelbon's departure.
In his comments, Cherington made public that not only did the Red Sox not make an offer to Papelbon, but the closer's agents did not contact Boston to allow them to match the Phillies' offer before agreeing to a four-year d...READ MORE!
Published on November 11, 2011 View Comment(s)
Phleeing for Philly by Jared Carrabis
Reports indicate that Jonathan Papelbon has agreed to a deal with Philadelphia Phillies
I'm not surprised, are you?
We all knew that this day was coming. I've been hitting on this for months, and even years here on SoxSpace. While some readers said that I was "bashing" Jonathan Papelbon, it turns out that I was just telling it like it is. We've all heard him drop hints from as early back as 2008. Papelbon wanted to "establish the market" for closers, that he "wouldn't mind" pitching for the Yankees, and that he was in the game to "make as much money" as he could while he was there.
All signs pointed towards Papelbon darting towards the highest bidder once he hit free agency, and alas, that is what we have here.
Kudos to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com for getting the scoop on Papelbon agreeing to a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies pending a physical. Salisbury also reports that the deal is worth somewhere in...READ MORE!
Published on November 11, 2011 View Comment(s)
Ticket Prices are Frozen at Fenway by Jared Carrabis
Red Sox announce that they will not be raising their ticket prices for the 2012 season
According to a press release by the team, the Red Sox will not raise their ticket prices in 2012, which will be the 100th season of Red Sox baseball at Fenway Park.
Next season will mark the second time in the last four years that the Red Sox have opted not to raise their ticket prices, which rank among the tops in the MLB regardless.
Despite increasing some ticket prices in 2011, the Red Sox did, however, freeze 70 percent of their tickets last season. As always, tickets will first go on sale at the Red Sox' annual "Christmas at Fenway" event, which will be held on Saturday, December 10th.
The statement released by the Red Sox on their ticket prices staying at 2011 levels is as followed:
"John Henry, Tom Werner, and the members of our Front Office spend considerable time each year discussing ticket pricing and policies for the following season, and as a group we make a concerted effort to look at our business through the prism of Red Sox fans. Over the last several years...READ MORE!
Published on November 08, 2011 View Comment(s)
Heyman: Phillies 'had talks' with Papelbon by Jared Carrabis
Jon Heyman reports Phillies "determined" to sign either Jonathan Papelbon or Ryan Madson
There are only a handful of teams with a vacancy at the closer's spot, and the money required to sign Jonathan Papelbon, and the Philadelphia Phillies are certainly one of them.
Late Monday night, SI.com's Jon Heyman tweeted, "#phillies also have had talks with papelbon. Seem determined to sign either pap or madson. like their style."
Last week, SoxSpace broke down Papelbon's worth, so we won't get into that here. But the Phillies' involvement is surely something new and interesting to add to the conversation.
Last season, the Phillies trotted out right-hander Ryan Madson as their closer, who racked up a career-best 32 saves, while posting a 2.37 ERA and 1.154 WHIP. While Papelbon was just one save shy of equaling Madson's total for 2011, Papelbon's 0.933 WHIP is far more impressive, as is 87/10 strikeouts to walks ratio in 64.1 innings, compared ...READ MORE!
Published on November 07, 2011 View Comment(s)
Ode to the Duke by Jared Carrabis
Dan Duquette returns to Major League Baseball as new general manager of the Baltimore Orioles
Here's to you, Mr. Former General Manager of the Boston Red Sox, Newly Hired By The Baltimore Orioles As Their New GM Guy.
As you probably heard over the weekend, Dan Duquette, the pride of Dalton, Massachusetts, is back in Major League Baseball as the new general manager of the Baltimore Orioles.
As someone who has gotten the chance to have met Dan, and have several baseball-related conversations with him over the past couple of years, I couldn't be happier for him. Prior to his ten-year hiatus from the MLB, Duquette had a big hand in engineering the 2004 World Series Red Sox team. And before his tenure here in Boston, Duquette was very influential in driving up fan interest north of the border for the Montreal Expos.
If you hopped on the Red Sox bandwagon after 2004, then meet the man that drafted Nomar Garciaparra, traded for Pedro Martinez on two separate occasions, flipped Heathcliff Slocumb ...READ MORE!
Published on November 07, 2011 View Comment(s)
Heads still rolling by Jared Carrabis
Is the Red Sox' firing of their strength and conditioning coach merited, or just another scapegoat?
When the Red Sox completed their collapse in September, everyone had to be thinking the same thing: Heads are going to roll.
Well, heads have certainly been rolling ever since. The Red Sox have changed GMs, dumped their manager, the pitching coach is gone, and now they have fired their strength and conditioning coach and assistant trainer.
Personally, I think this was a "saving face" decision. Kind of like a "Hey look! We're doing something about all this!" kind of move. According to the WEEI report, "the Red Sox plan on restructuring some of their approach toward the strength, conditioning and medical side of the organization heading into '12."
On September 20, ESPN's Buster Olney made an appearance on WEEI's Mutt and Merloni show, and shared that s...READ MORE!
Published on November 03, 2011 View Comment(s)
Silver Sluggin' by Jared Carrabis
Numbers breakdown of Silver Slugger-winners Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz, and Jacoby Ellsbury
For the second night in a row, a trio of Red Sox teammates took home home hardware, with Jacoby Ellsbury and Adrian Gonzalez highlighting both nights.
On Tuesday, Ellsbury, Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia were all rewarded with Gold Gloves, and on Wednesday, Ellsbury and Gonzalez's names were called again to claim the Silver Slugger award, along with Boston's designated hitter, David Ortiz. Gonzalez and Ellsbury became the first pair of teammates in Red Sox history to win both awards in the same season.
Like the Gold Glove, the Silver Slugger is also voted upon by managers and coaches in both the American and National League. This year was just the second time that three Red Sox had won a Silver Slugger in the same year, with the first year being in 2005 when Manny Ramirez, Jason Varitek and Ortiz won the honors.
It goes without saying that Ellsbury was the most deserving of the three to win this award, which was his first. The outfielder, who will surely fall somewhere in the t...READ MORE!
Published on November 03, 2011 View Comment(s)
Mo Money, Mo Problems by Jared Carrabis
Jonathan Papelbon looking for Mariano Rivera money, but will he get it, and is he worth it?
This obviously comes as no surprise, but Jonathan Papelbon may have priced himself out of a Red Sox uniform.
In his weekly appearance on WEE's Mutt and Merloni, Peter Gammons discussed several Red Sox-related topics, but when hitting on the subject of Papelbon's future in Boston, Gammons said, "How much are they going to be willing to pay a closer? Papelbon and his agents are going to be looking for about what they say the Red Sox offered Mariano Rivera, which is three times {$15 million]. Is somebody going to go out and give it to him?"
Well, before you can really answer whether or not the Red Sox will give him $15 million annually, why don't we take a look at what he's actually worth.
According to FanGraphs, the performance that Papelbon turned in during the 2011 season would be valued at $...READ MORE!
Published on November 02, 2011 View Comment(s)
Golden Trio by Jared Carrabis
Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez all take home Gold Glove awards
I wish I could get excited about three Red Sox players taking home a Gold Glove award, but I really can't.
Last night, Rawlings announced their Gold Glove award-winners, and the Red Sox stole the show. Adrian Gonzalez took home his third Gold Glove, Dustin Pedroia won his second, and Jacoby Ellsbury picked up his first.
For those who were unaware, the Gold Glove awards are voted on by the managers and coaches in each respective league. In my opinion, these are the last guys that should be voting on these awards if Rawlings wants them to have any credibility whatsoever.
At the very most, managers and coaches are seeing opposing players 19 times a year. And that's at the very most. A lot of these guys, you're only going to see them six times a year. I find it hard to believe that these managers and coaches are going to sit down at the end of the year, and seriously crunch the numbers to try and find the best defensive players in the league to form an educated vote.
W...READ MORE!
Published on November 02, 2011 View Comment(s)
Grady's Ladies at Fenway? by Jared Carrabis
With injury-prone outfielders proving to be a theme, Red Sox interested in Grady Sizemore
Could Grady's Ladies be migrating to the bleachers at Fenway Park this summer?
On Friday, we explored the possibility of the Red Sox signing free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran, who they have been coveting for over a year now. Well, you can add another name to the list of potentials to succeed JD Drew in right field next season and beyond.
According to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, who cites a team source, the Red Sox are going to explore the option of signing outfielder Grady Sizemore, who had his $9 million option for 2012 declined by the Cleveland Indians.
Now, this isn't a matter of the Indians knowing something that we don't. It's public knowledge that Sizemore has had his fair share of troubles staying healthy. He hasn't been able to play more than 106 games ...READ MORE!
Published on November 01, 2011 View Comment(s)
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