In The Wake Of The Nation by Jared Carrabis
Lowell's Surgery A Success, Wake Likely To Return and more

The 2008 World Series has not yet seen it's first pitch but the 2008-2009 hot stove is already red hot in Boston. The Boston Herald has reported that the Red Sox will most likely exercise the $4 million option remaining on the contract of veteran right-hander, Tim Wakefield. Wakefield will turn 43 in August and if he is to return it will be his seventeenth Major League season and fifteenth with the Boston Red Sox. Fifteen seasons with the organization allows him to keep his title of the longest tenured player on the Boston Red Sox. Although his record was under .500 at 10-11, he was still able to throw 181 innings in 30 starts for the Red Sox in 2008. At $4 million dollars he is considered to be one of the biggest bargains in the league.

For those of you that had concerns about the well being of Red Sox third baseman, Mike Lowell, you can now exhale. The bruised and battered Mike Lowell went under the knife on Monday to repair a torn labrum in his hip. The surgery went flawlessly and when Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein spoke to the media on Tuesday he was quoted as saying that he was "pleasantly surprised" that the extent of the damage in Lowell's hip was not severe. Epstein went on to say that the surgery was a "complete success" and that Mike Lowell will be ready by the start of Spring Training if not right away then it wouldn't be long after position players report to the Fort.

Theo Epstein was also asked a series of questions concerning the Red Sox eighth inning man throughout the month of October, Justin Masterson. The side-arm throwing sinkerballer made his debut for the Red Sox against the Angels on April 24, 2008 as a starter. When the Red Sox desperately needed help out of their bullpen, the 23-year-old was sent back down to the minors to transform himself into a relief pitcher. On July 23 in a game in Seattle, Masterson made his debut as a reliever turning in 2.2 hitless innings out of the bullpen striking out three.

When asked what his role would be in 2009, Theo Epstein highlighted the fact that Justin Masterson certainly provides the Red Sox with a great deal of versatility in their pitching staff by saying, "We like him as a starter, and we like him as a reliever. His career could go a lot of different ways. And he'll probably end up doing both throughout different phases of his career." Still no word as to what his role will be at the start of the 2009 season but that all depends on the moves that the Red Sox choose to make this offseason concerning their starting pitching and bullpen. Wherever he fits best as far as contributing goes, that's where you will see Justin Masterson.

The wrist of David Ortiz has made headlines in Boston and throughout baseball since it first reared it's ugly head back on May 31 in a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. After injuring that wrist, David Ortiz missed an extended amount of play before making his return on July 25 against the New York Yankees. Theo Epstein addressed the issue of the wrist of David Ortiz and said that he would not need surgery this offseason to repair the damage. "He's 32 years old,'' Epstein said. "We see no reason he can't be one of the most dominant batters in baseball.'' An offseason full of rest will do the trick as far as a recovery process goes for Ortiz and he should be back at full strength come time for Spring Training.

Finally, the topic we've all been waiting to discuss, the Jason Varitek free agency. Theo Epstein explained that the Red Sox will in fact make an effort to resign their captain but only if it's at the right price. When you're dealing with an agent like Scott Boras, things tend to get a little clustered and complicated when it comes to contract negotiations. "We will be talking to him but have an obligation to explore all of our options", Epstein said. Well, that's great and all but there aren't many options out there. If the Red Sox decide to pull the trigger on a trade for Jarrod Saltalamacchia, that does not mean the end for Jason Varitek in Boston. Just imagine what a year's worth of mentoring under the wing of Jason Varitek could do for the 23-year-old Saltalamacchia.

Epstein went on to prove my point by saying, "He’s an important part of the organization. There’s no doubt about that." (Try very, very important) "Obviously, he’s coming off a year that wasn’t hit best. But he’s important nonetheless. There’s not a lot of elite catching out there. We’ll try to figure it out." The Red Sox are also rumored to be looking at catcher, Gerald Laird, whom Jarrod Saltalamacchia split time with behind the plate in Texas with Laird getting most of the playing time hitting .276 with 6 HR and 41 RBI in 95 games. Jarrod Saltalamacchia caught 61 games for Texas in 2008 while batting .253 with 3 HR and 26 RBI.

The Red Sox have some bench issues to address this offseason with the free agencies of Alex Cora, Mark Kotsay and Sean Casey. With one of the most talented free agent crops in recent history ready to hit the market this winter, expect the Theo and the gang to bolster up this Boston Red Sox club real nice after getting the contract of Manny Ramirez out of their hair. Should be really interesting to see how this offseason unfolds and as it does, I will be reporting to you all every step of the way. Here's to the Sox in '09.

-Jared Carrabis

Published on October 22, 2008

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