Photo taken from Zimbio via Google Images

New Red Sox skipper Bobby Valentine has gone on the record as saying that adding a starting pitcher isn’t at the top of his priority list.  He thinks they have plenty of arms in the mix when they get to Ft. Myers in three weeks, so for right now, it’s not at the top of his wish list.

Um, excuse me, Mr. Valentine, but if not now, when?

While everyone is focusing on the team’s epic September collapse, let’s not also forget the team’s dreadful start to 2011: 2-11.  It started with an opening-series sweep at the hands of the Rangers.  Fine, I’ll grant you, they were the defending AL champions and just happened to be on their way to heading right back to the World Series.  I get it, one of the best teams in the league knocked ‘em around a little.  But then you get to Cleveland and get swept?  Come on.

The Red Sox scored a total of 11 runs in those first six games while their opponents took extra BP and scored 38.  That kicked off a month that ended in an 11-15 record.  Clearly the traditional cliché of a marathon versus a sprint applies, as anyone who watched game 162 with baited breath will tell you.  It simply cannot be understated how important it will be for this 2012 team to get off to a good start.

Which brings us back to the issue of the starting pitching staff.  This year’s team features not a single pitcher who reached the 200-inning plateau in 2011.   While Josh Beckett and Jon Lester each had fine seasons (September struggles not withstanding), neither of them reached that critical marker.  Add to that the losses of John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka to Tommy John surgery.  Then add to that the Clay Buchholz injury watch.  Then add to that the unknown of Daniel Bard pitching as a starter instead of as a lights-out setup man.  Do you see where this is going?

The Red Sox finished with 90 wins last year, a number that for all intents and purposes should have assured them a playoff spot (stay tuned for the introduction of the second wild card this year).  The problem is all intents and purposes get checked at the door to the AL East.

Image via Wikipedia

The Yankees mixed and matched all season until they found a mix that clinched the division.  Then in the offseason they’ve added an underrated workhorse in Hiroki Kuroda, wresting him away from possibly playing in Boston, and traded for an act on the rise in Michael Pineda.

The Rays, who did what the Red Sox couldn’t on September 28^th last year to claim the Wild Card, have arguably the best pitching staff in the American League in David Price, James Shields, rookie phenom Matt Moore, Jeremy Hellickson, and Wade Davis.  They didn’t stand pat either, bringing in a couple lefty bats in Carlos Pena and Luke Scott, both with plenty of experience in the AL East, to help back that staff.

So now the ball is in the Red Sox’ court.  They had a shot to get Kuroda and missed.  Now they’re in supposed conversations with Roy Oswalt and Edwin Jackson.  One guy gets hurt (meaning he makes your bad back look like a stubbed toe), the other guy has played for six teams in eight years.  They simply don’t know what to expect from three-fifths of their rotation, whether it’s injury concerns or simply not knowing who will take the ball the next day.  They’re taking it down to the likes of Carlos Silva, Vicente Padilla, Aaron Cook, Felix Doubront, Justin Germano, Clayton Mortenson, and last year’s pitching hero, Alfredo Aceves.  Leaves you feeling all warm and tingly inside, doesn’t it?

So it’s time to ask again: if not now, then when?

Introduction

This article is a follow up to the one published here on Monday, December 12th. In this article I will delve in more detail into the Red Sox current Pitching situation. Here we will break things down by talking about the current list of injured pitchers and the effect that has on the team, the 2011 pitchers that are currently free agents, the rotation, the bullpen, pitchers that were not on the Red Sox in 2011 that are now free agents & pitchers that might be available via trade.

The Injuries

Almost like a team plague, Tommy John Surgery seems to have hit the Red Sox like a virus over the past two years. First, I believe, there was Junici Tazawa who had returned late last season from his surgery & since his there have been three more players that have succumbed to it…

SP Rich Hill – Recovering from Tommy John surgery (on June 9th) and was recently non-tendered. His recovery will probably result in him being out until after the start of 2012, but with Boston having so many lefties under team control (Morales, Doubront and Miller) without the ability (options) to sent them to Pawtucket (AAA), they had to release him. Although, if one of those guys were involved in a possible trade, that would open the door up to the Red Sox re-signing him. I personally think he’s be a better option for them than two of them if not all three.

SP Daisuke Matsuzaka - will miss at least half of the 2012 season due to recovery from his Tommy John surgery. It is hoped that his return will be the equivalent of a trade deadline acquisition as he might be back sometime after the All Star game. Although, given the tendency of pitchers returning from this procedure having control problems coupled with Dice-K’s insistence on nibbling around the plate sounds like a recipe for some scary innings of work (hopefully the Red Sox can keep him in AAA Pawtucket during that awkward time is his rehab). I don’t see him being a reliable option at the major league level until the All Star break at the earliest.

Picture of John Lackey taken by Tony Molica

SP John Lackey - He is the last pitcher to succumb to this injury as of late and because he didn’t address this injury until after the 2011 season, he will miss all of 2012. On the bright side, it looks like the injury that made this procedure a necessity was directly related to Lackey’s poor 2011 performance (it seems as if he may have pitched with this injury most of the season knowing that he couldn’t hurt himself further), one that was the worst by any Red Sox starting pitcher in the team’s storied history for a full season.  Some have also reported that he stayed off the DL for the team’s sake given the state of the staff and took one for the team so to speak. So, maybe he will look more like the pitcher we saw with the Angels in 2013!

Former Red Sox Pitchers that are now Free Agents
RP Trever Miller (age: 38) - Miller only pitched in 2 innings for the Red Sox (in 3 outings) while recording 1K without giving up a hit, a walk or a run. In all of 2011 between the Blue Jays, Cardinals and the Red Sox he only pitched in 21.1 innings over 48 outings and had an 0-1 record with 1 SV 3 blown saves and 5 holds, while maintaining a 3.80 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP.

RP Dan Wheeler (age: 34) - Wheeler is a Type B free agent. He declined the Red Sox offer of arbitration. He was on and off the DL during the 2011 season posting a line of 2-2 with 4 Holds, 0 blown saves, 39 K, 1.11 WHIP, 4.38 ERA in 49.1 IP. For his career he boasts a 3.88 ERA, 1.21 WHIP with 43 saves, a 25-43 record with 553K in 628.1 IP.

SP Tim Wakefield (age: 45) - With Wakefield’s reoccurring back problems over the past few years and his painful-to-watch attempt to get his 200th victory last year, it is probably only a 50/50 chance at best that the Red Sox re-sign him for the 2012 season. And the latest news is that Theo (I mean Jed Hoyer) may seek to sign Wakefield (and possibly even Varitek) with the Cubs. 2011 saw Wakefield go 7-8 with 93Ks, a 1.36 WHIP, .267 BAA and a 5.12 ERA in 154.2 innings pitched with 1 CG in only 23 starts (10 relief appearances) while giving up a whopping 25 HRs. In contrast to those numbers, he has a career average of a 4.41 ERA, 1.35 WHIP (so that didn’t change) with 2156 Ks in 3226.2 innings pitched over 463 starts (164 relief appearances) with 33 CGs with 6 of those being shutouts. Bottom line: I’d bring him back even if it was just for insurance. He’s a great team player, can both start and pitch in the bullpen and can eat up innings. On top of all of that, when he gets going (if), he can string together a bunch of consecutive wins (if you have a catcher that can catch him and not many can).

The Rotation

Jon Lester - In my opinion Lester is the Ace of this staff! He has won 15 or more games in his last four seasons (19 in 2010) and 2012 should see him pitch in over 200 innings once again (he had only 191.2 IP last year, the first time under 200 in those same four seasons) and be in contention for the Cy Young Award once again with  also hitting the 200K mark again.

Josh Beckett - If Beckett has post another sub 3.00 ERA he might be in line to go head to head with Lester for that Cy Young Award, but he will more likely have an ERA under 4.00 and 190 or more Ks. Last year, for at least half of the season, he proved that he can still be a co-Ace on this staff and Bobby V might be the type of manager that can motivate him to do so once again, but his best years are behind him at this point, I’m affraid.

Clay Buchholz - I see Clay as being, realistically speaking, a solid number two pitcher on this staff with a performance that is in between his 2010 (.708 winning percentage) and 2011 (.667 winning percentage) seasons if he can stay healthy.

Daniel Bard – At first, I wasn’t sure how to take the news of Bard joining the rotation, but with the acquisitions of Melancon and Bailey I have to agree with it. I think Bard, if the opinion of Curt Young (Red Sox 2011 Pitching Coach) is accurate, is well suited to transfer into the rotation like the Rangers have done recently with CJ Wilson, Alexi Ogando, etc. Young mentions the addition of a newly mastered changeup to go with his fastball and slider as reasons that back a move to the rotation. I think he’ll do just fine and might end up in the pen three quarters of the way into the season due to the added workload after being a short reliever up until now.

Picture of Alfredo Aceves taken by Tony Molica

Alfredo Aceves - If no one besides one of the slew of low risk starters the Sox have signed to this point pans out, Alfredo should be the fifth starter (or at least the first guy out of the pen to spot start). His 2011 performance when called upon has earned him that right.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (DL: Tommy John Surgery) - Dice-K might just be the equivalent to a mid season aquisition when he returns from Tommy John surgery. With Bobby V at the helm, it just might be what the doctor ordered for Dice-K in his final months as a member of the Red Sox due to Bobby’s time spent managing in Japan. I expect the best performance we’ve seen up to this point upon his return if he is healthy enough post-surgery to accomplish it.

The Bullpen

Bobby Jenks - In December, Jenks has lower back surgery to remove bone fragments and less than a month later has had a second operation on his back and will probably miss the start of spring training. If he can stay healthy he would be a valuable 7th or 8th inning option along with Malanson; otherwise, he’s sure to be DFA’d or traded during the season.

Scott Atchison - Atchison has his best numbers in the following categories in 2011: ERA (3.26) and WHIP (1.20), but his SO/9 were at a career low at 5.0. He also had very good command as seen with a BB/9 rate of 1.8 and he did not give up even one HR. I’d keep him, but would monitor his SO/9 and H/9 rates to see if they loose any more ground. If they do, I’d expect that to affect his ERA and WHIP numbers, too and if that happens I’d cut ties with him. The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options). Due to the signing of OF Cody Ross, Atchison has been designated for assignment. In my most humble opinion, this should have been Albers. Sorry Matt!

Matt Albers - The only thing I like about Albers stat line for 2011 was his increase in SO/9 which was almost 3 points higher than his previous season high. What I don’t trust is a RP with a WHIP of 1.43, which sadly enough was his second best total in his career. I’ll see if there were any takers on him & try to get a decent prospect out of it. Maybe put him into a package to the Cubs in an attempt to land a better compensation deal for Theo.

Franklin Morales – His totals in Boston were his best since his rookie year of 2007. In Boston he posted a 3.62 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9, a 2.82 SO/BB and a SO/9 of 8.6 second only to his 9.2 in 2009. That and the fact that he’s a lefty and only 25 years old tells me that he is a keeper. The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options).

Michael Bowden - If Bowden can continue to lower his H/9, ERA and WHIP as well as increase his SO/9 while he continues to adjust to pitching in relief, he might have his best year in a Red Sox uniform in 2012. But even if he does, it might not be enough unless it is more significant than his progress thus far seeing his WHIP was 1.50. The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options).

Junichi Tazawa - There’s not much to go on here so it all depends upon his efforts in spring training, but I don’t see a situation where he breaks camp with the big club. He’ll probably wind up in Pawtucket for some more seasoning of his game and see how he progresses as the season goes on. After all, he is still recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Felix Doubront - Doubront’s numbers last year in Boston were not very good as can be seen over at Baseball-Reference.com and unless he can show signs of bouncing back in 2012, I would add him in with Albers and try to flip him to the Cubs in the Theo compensation deal. It’s time to cut bait on him or change the way they are using him (which may be the best route to travel if they cannot find a taker for him). The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options).

Andrew Miller  - I don’t see where they can use him in Boston except in mop up duty unless he turns a corner in 2012 and starts living up to his potential. After all, he is just 26 years old. Just look at his numbers over at Baseball-Reference.com to see what I am talking about. His WHIP alone scares me away. The Red Sox no longer have the ability to option him to the minors (he is out of MiLB options).

RP Rich Hill - Was recently resigned to a minor league deal with the Red Sox that will pay him $750K if he makes it to Boston in 2012 after recovering from Tommy John surgery he had back in June 2011. I see him as a big part of the Red Sox bullpen if he can bounce back from the surgery.

Currently Available Free Agent Pitchers

SP’s

Rich Harden – I think they have gotten enough players like Harden already; therefore, I do not see them going after him, too! Although he can be dominant when healthy, but the problem is, lately, he rarely is…

Edwin Jackson - is going to cost too much for them to sign him this off season both in years and overall salary. He’d be a good number 4 or 5 starter though (much like Paul Maholm who was signed by the Cubs to an affordable one-year contract, darn you Theo!).

Roy Oswalt – On a one-year contract under $10M (probably around the $8M mark), I do that deal in a heart beat even if it means trading a few minor pieces to get it done! Come on Ben, sign him already!

Brandon Webb – He is damaged goods that I don’t think even the Red Sox would take a flyer on at this time. Let’s see what he can do on a one year contract for someone else before we jump to a final assessment on him for the long haul…

Chris Young – I still think that Young would be a good back end of the rotation kind of guy, but the question is…can he handle playing in Boston with the media frenzy and all? We may never know…the Sox may be done shopping for the rotation at this point.

RP’s

I have only listed the available arms I’d be interested in. If you would like to know my opinion on another name not listed here, please ask me in the comments below and I’ll get back to you ASAP!

Mike Gonzalez - If Gonzalez can get back to his 2009 form, he would be a nice lefty out of thre pen, but his ERA and K/9 are both trending in the wrong way, he is not a groundball pitcher and even his xFIP was over 3.7 which is a bit high for my taste for a bullpen arm.

Chad Qualls – My main concern with Qualls is the drop in his K/9 last year. He went from being over 7 and 8 (with a low of 7.47 in 2010) over the last four years, to a 5.21 in 2011. In fact, it has been dropping ever since it’s height in 2008 at 8.67. Although 2010 saw his ERA spike at 7.32, his xFIP was actually 3.72. Another bonus is that his groundball percentages have been 55% or more his whole career, which fits into the new GM’s mold for pitchers.

DFA List

SP Micah Owings – He’s coming off a year that saw him hit his best numbers in ERA (3.57), appearances (33, with 4 starts) and BABIP (.258) in the majors, but his xFIP was 4.51 (but even that was his best thus far in his career). I’d like to see him get his K/9 back up around 9.45 (2010 with the Reds). He can also be a long reliever, another spot start option or might be useful pitching in the 7th inning right in front of Melancon. A role he has not been in up to this point in his early career, but is something that could rejuvenate his career and allow him to regain those high K/9 numbers.

What I like most about his is his ability to be another right handed bat off the bench, something you don’t normally think about with a pitcher these days! Read this: in only 217 PA he has hit .286 with 27 R, 35 RBI, 9 HR, .313 OBP, .507 SLG a 106 wRC+, .222 ISO, .389 BABIP and holds a 3.8 WAR as a hitter. It’s almost like carrying an extra bench player! This move is a no brainer to me, especially when you consider that he only made around $423K last year.

Pitchers that Might be Available via Trade

If 3B prospect Will Middlebrooks sets AAA ablaze offensively and maintains his deffensive prowess, we might see Kevin Youkilis jettisoned out in a trade for one of these guys. If not, then a multi-player deal surrounding the likes of Ryan Kalish, Lars Anderson, Matt Albers, Felix Dubront, Andrew Miller, Bobby Jenks or Michael Bowden (pick a few from this list, but there are others not mentioned that could be had) might pry one of these guys loose.

SP Matt Garza (Cubs) – Probably the least likeliest of trade possibilities, but it could happen. I just don’t think Theo and Jed would do it unless they were blown away (including Middlebrooks, Iglesias or Brittan) and I don’t see Cherrington doing that. The Cubs could use Youk, too.

SP Wandy Rodriguez (Astros) – I’m sort of luke-warm on Wandy…I just am not sold on him and I have no idea if we could handle the pressure cooker that is pitching in Boston. He also could be had on the cheap!

SP Brett Myers (Astros) – My least favorite choice. Myers is a poor mans Schilling and simply not good enough in my estimation, but could probably be had on the cheap.

SP – Tom Gorzelanny (Nationals) - Although I’d take Masterson or Garza ahead of him, Gorzelanny would work out well (if healthy) at the end of the rotation if he could handle the pressure in Boston. The deal that would net him wouldn’t be as costly either!

SP – Justin Masterson (Indians) – Probably my favorite choice on this list (which is admittedly short). I was disappointed to hear that he was a part of the Victor Martinez trade to begin with, although I would have never admitted to thinking he’d be this good as a starter. I always projected him as a long-to-short reliever. But after seeing what he’s doing in Cleveland, I’d be tickled pink to have him at the end of the Red Sox rotation! And…the Indians are looking to upgrade at 1B (Youk’s best position), too.

SP – Gavin Floyd (White Sox) - If the remaining free agent starting pitchers sign elsewhere or are asking for more (in terms of either years or dollars) than what the Red Sox are willing to shell out, then maybe the speculated trade for Floyd would be a nice option. The “other” Sox team has been either trading away players(Carlos Quentin) letting them walk (Buehrle) or signed to a long term contract (John Danks); making it difficult to understand what direction they are going in at the  present time. But seeing what the asked for in exchange for Quentin, Boston might be able to put a deal together either before the start of the season or by the trading deadline in July. I like this idea, but it would depend upon what they’d need to give up. The price might still be too high.

Hot Stove Season Transactions To Date

RP Mark Melancon - He was obtained via trade for INF Jed Lowrie and P Kyle Weiland. Melancon is primed to become a late inning arm that will be a big threat in either the 7th, 8th or 9th innings for Boston in 2012. He is young (will turn 27 during the season), comes inexpensive and will be under team control until after the 2016 season. He became the Astros closer after an injury to Brandon Lyon in May saving 20 in 25 opportunities over 74.1 innings (in 71 appearances) with an ERA of 2.78 and a 1.22 WHIP with 3 Holds. His other stats include a 7.99 K/9, .234 BAA and 2.54 K/BB. With the trade for Bailey, Melancon becomes the set up man for him taking over for Bard who will now be free to convert to the starting rotation.

Closer Andrew Bailey - He was obtained (along with OF Ryan Sweeney) via trade for OF Josh Reddick, 1B/3B Miles Head and P Raul Alcantara. Bailey, who is also 27 (like Melancon) is a two-time All Star as the A’s closer & will remain under team control until 2014.

Aaron Cook – Was recently signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. The 5th spot in the rotation (that is if Bard is the # 4 starter) is between Cook, Silva and Padilla (edge to Padilla) and he’ll need to earn it! Plus Cook has only had 10+ wins twice in his career (16 in 2008 and 11 in 2009).

Carlos Silva – Was recently signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. He is a long shot who will probably start the season in AAA and be kept as insurance, but might help out in long relief if he regains his accuracy. The 5th spot in the rotation (that is if Bard is the # 4 starter) is between Silva, Cook and Padilla (edge to Padilla) and he’ll need to earn it! Plus Silva has only had 10+ wins in a season four times (2004, 2006-2007 and 2010). I like the possibility of Silva regaining his touch over Cook. Silva has also been better more recently than Cook, too.

Justin Germano - Was recently signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, but after seeing his numbers per Baseball-Reference, and the signings of Cook and Silva, I don’t see him making the big club out of spring training.

Vicente Padilla – Was recently signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. He is my favorite choice out of the pack obtained to vie for the 4th & 5th spot in the rotation because he’s had more recent success than the others. He has also had four seasons with 10+ wins, but in those seasons he has been more consistent (14 wins three times in 2003-04 and 2008 and 15 wins in 2006) and his xFIP (3.40 and 3.47 in 2011 and 2010 in LA) has been more consistent throughout his career.

John Maine – Was recently signed to a minor league deal and will probably start off the season at AAA as a relief pitcher.

The Free Agent Pitchers, To Date, Who They Should Have Signed

The following pitchers all signed one year deals that the Red Sox could have afforded and should have made.

Hiroki Kuroda (SP) - Signed for $10,000,000 with the Yankees and the Red Sox were known to be interested in him. This is the one fish I am really sad to see get away and the fact that he went to the arch rival Yankees makes it hurt even worse!

Paul Maholm (SP) - Signed for $4,750,000 with the Cubs and the Red Sox were known to be interested in him. Why the Red Sox didn’t beat Theo to the punch on this one is beyond me unless they had no idea he could be had for so cheap and for just one year!

Jon Rauch (RP) – Signed for $3,500,000 with the Mets. He’d have been a nice addition to the pen…

George Sherrill (RP) - Signed for $1,100,000 with the Mariners. He would have been a nice guy to pitch to lefties (as much as I hate this tactic) out of the pen.

Joel Zumaya (RP) - Signed for $850,000 with the Twins and the Red Sox were known to be interested in him. At this price, he was so worth the risk!

In closing, if you have any questions about a player I have either mentioned or neglected to mention, but should have, let’s discuss that in the comments below. I look forward to seeing you there!

Looking for the perfect item to get your baseball fix on TV in the offseason?  Well, you can stop looking once you acquire Baseballs Greatest Games. Put out by MLB and A&E Studios in 2011, this 11 disc DVD set will occupy any baseball lover for hours (29 hours and 56 minutes to be exact).

The set features ten of the most hotly contested games in MLB history. Watching these games is made even better when the viewer notices that they can actually watch baseball without having to wait for inning changes and commercials.

The games featured in this set are:

Image via Wikipedia

Game 7 of the 1960 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates: Fans will quickly remember this as the Bill Mazeroski game when he hit the historic walk-off homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure the Series for the Pirates.

Game 6 of the 1975 World Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox: This is the game when Carlton Fisk hits his childlike walk-off homerun in the bottom of the 12^th inning to send the Series to seven games.

Slugfest at Wrigley Field in 1979 between the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs: This game went into extra innings eventually ending with the Phillies winning 23-22 in the tenth inning.

Game 5 of the 1985 National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Saint Louis Cardinals: Ozzie Smith makes this game memorable with his walk-off homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Game 6 of the 1986 World Series between the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox: This is a game that is etched in Red Sox fans’ hearts for all time as they see Mookie Wilson’s grounder bounce down the line.

Game 7 of the 1991 World Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Minnesota Twins: Jack Morris put his mark on this fall classic by throwing a 10 inning shutout.

Game 7 of the 1992 National League Championship Series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves: This game is remembered by Sid Bream’s slide across home plate in the bottom of the ninth to bring the Braves all of the way back from down 2-0 at the start of the inning.

Game 6 of the 1993 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Toronto Blue Jays: Joe Carter’s walk-off blast in the bottom of the ninth is the play that most remember about this contest.

Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees:  To Red Sox fans, this is the Aaron Bleeping Boone game.

Game 7 of the 2004 American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox: No team had ever come back from being down 3-0 in a seven game Series until David Ortiz helped the Sox change all of that with his historic homerun in game seven.

In addition to the ten games, there is an extra disc as well that provides viewers with postgame interviews and analyst reaction to the happenings of those games. These interviews further help to put the games into context of what was happening in baseball at that time.

One of the more interesting aspects of this DVD set is that viewers have the option to view the games either with the commentary from television or from radio. This is a great feature as many fans enjoy the radio broadcast more than television because it tends to be more descriptive. This feature has them lined up correctly so there is no delay between radio and television like there usually is if the viewer attempts to do this live.

These games can either bring back memories, or increase one’s knowledge about the teams and players of the different times in baseball history.

Rating: 3.55/5

NPB SP Yu Darvish image taken from Google Images

The Texas Rangers have been very busy in the last couple of weeks. Right now the Rangers are still trying to negotiate a deal with Yu Darvish but there is a limited amount of information and insight on the negotiations. Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports reported earlier this week that The Texas Rangers are becoming increasingly optimistic that the deal will get done by the Wednesday, Jan. 18 deadline.

I am sure the Rangers would like to sign Darvish for a “Dice-K” – like contract. Dice-K (Daisuke Matsuzaka) signed a 6-year $52 million contract with the Boston Red Sox six years ago. Times have changed since then, many executives and player’s agents in the league believe that Darvish will sign a 6-year deal closer to $70 million. Time will only tell and that time runs out at 4:00 p.m. central time on Jan. 18^th.

With Spring Training rolling right around the corner, the Rangers have invited 8 players to camp this march. Texas prospects Mike Olt and Tommy Mendonca will both be trying to transition themselves to a new position. Olt, normally a third baseman, will be going into Spring Training as a first baseman as well. Mendonca will try to transition to the catching position. Pitchers Fabio Castilla, Greg Reynolds (acquired in trade with COL), Robbie Ross, Tanner Scheppers and Ben Snyder along with infielder Greg Miclat were also extended invitations.

Quick Hits

-      Mike Napoli’s and Derek Holland’s contact extension negotiations will be tabled until a later date. With the Ranger’s front office is focusing on Yu Darvish, Mike and Derek are on hold.

-      Reliever Mike Adams recently underwent Hernia surgery, but team officials are confident that he will be ready for opening day.

-      Minor League corner infielder Chad Tracy was traded to Colorado a few days ago for former 1^st round draft pick RHP Greg Reynolds. Reynolds has since been invited to Spring Training.

-      The Rangers have been showing some real interest in veteran OF/1B Brad Hawpe. Hawpe could take some time at 1B as Moreland recovers from his injury.

-      Ticket prices for 2012 have been released; most prices are higher than they have ever been, obviously due to recent success. The construction of Vandergriff Plaza in Center Field is also coming along nicely.

Photo taken from Google Images

Maturity and success aren’t always aligned with years on the diamond; just ask Australian sensation Justin Erasmus.  The Boston Red Sox know this, having snapped Erasmus up as a free agent at just 17.  This now 21-year-old right handed pitcher is carving his name around the globe in baseball.

Currently on the Brisbane Bandits roster, Erasmus is a star player in his second season with the newly revived Australian Baseball League.  Here are some insights into his quirky superstitions, how he keeps his money-maker in check, the Sox and what really goes on in the bullpen…

Sox Prospects describes your pitch as “Smooth, over-the-top and deliberate”, can you elaborate?

I think they’ve got it spot on – I try to be as sound as I can with my mechanics.  I’ll go with pretty much exactly what they said.

How do you keep your arm in check?

I do a shoulder program around three times a week, but every day I’ll do Thera-Band work and pretty much just throwing and lots of stretching.  Every time at the field I’ll do internal and external rotations, more stretching, then recovery – involves loads of ice.

General fitness – what do you do to maintain your performance level?

It is pretty difficult; I’m on a Red Sox Training Program and a gym routine. Right now it’s five days a week and it’s tough because I’ve got training and then pitching on the weekend.  So I go – Monday I’ll do legs, Tuesday upper body, Wednesday legs again, Thursday upper body, Friday is a light kind of mellow recovery day and weekends I’m running around playing baseball.

Which aspects of your pitching game are you currently working on and aiming to improve?

Throwing strikes, trying to throw a Cutter right now which is pretty much a fastball but a little different.  Throwing a Cutter is my focus, more change ups, pretty much pitching in general, just trying to do something different than just straight.  It’s all about finger pressure and how you release the ball.

Considering your high pressure role, are you always tense during games?

When I’m there, this might sound really weird, but I don’t pay much attention to the actual game, I try to mellow out, have some fun in the bullpen and then when they call ‘Erasmus do you want to get ready?’ I go through my pregame routine; before I go out there I give everyone a fist pump thing, pump myself up a little bit and once I get to the mound, I know my job is to get that guy out any way, shape or form.

How do you relax and then go straight in to playing mode?

It’s turning it on.  If you’re 100% ready to go every single game and you don’t throw the first three games, by the fourth you are mentally drained.  When you finally go on to pitch, you won’t be as good as you should be.  I’ve learnt how to turn it on and turn it off, so most of the time I’m off and then, when my name gets called, I just mentally flip, I don’t talk too much, I do what I need to do to get warm.  When I run out there it’s all adrenaline and then I slow down. When the first hitter steps in, I’m ready and then it’s just trying to get him out – any way.

How do you pass the time in the bullpen?

You chill out, you have fun.  Obviously you watch a bit of the game, you’ve got to note what some hitters do but you’re not 100% on the game.  You’ve got to be able to zone out and a change back really quickly, like snap back into it.

Once on the mound, what do you end up saying to yourself?

Before I get to there, I’ve got a lot of pregame/prepitch superstitions so that’s pretty much the switch – saying “Alright, you’ve got to go to work” and I just tell myself “Hey, stay back, throw the ball down, throw a strike” – that’s pretty much it.  Hit a spot, I’m confident in everything I throw so I just make sure I hit that spot.

A lot of people have asked me to find out what the ball-behind-the-head routine is about.  Can you explain it?

What it is, is a tap the back of my right foot and touch my hat and it’s like a signal – right, go to work.  It’s a switch, you’ve just thrown your first pitch and that’s over and done with and now you’ve got to do it all over again, start again.  So if I miss and throw a ball, I’ll do that and prepare myself for the next pitch, hopefully a better one.

Pitchers in particular are known to be superstitious players, I guess only you can really understand it…

I have a lot of rituals, superstitions, and that works so I’m not going to go changing it.  If you could get a video of these superstitions that would be pretty funny but there are also a lot of behind the scenes superstitions no one really knows about.

Fair to say you’re quite a controlled player…

Yes, I am focused, I’m over analytical, I think a lot which makes me aggressive on the mound.  I know my job, I know what I’ve got to do and I’ll do anything to get that job done.

Obviously you understand it’s not just harnessing your skill in one way…

Baseball is 90% mental – once you’re happy with yourself and have developed your own strategies, it makes it a whole lot easier.  I learnt that from Phil Jauncey (Australia’s foremost Performance Psychologist), he gives you a test that defines your approach to life and getting ahead and you go from there.  I am a ‘Mozzie’ thinker which means I talk a lot, I’ve got a lot of energy and when it comes down to it, I like to analyze things and make sure I’ve got it all sorted out properly.

Finally – why Bandits, why a second time around?

Pretty much working with KJ (Kevin Jordon, Bandits Manger and former Philadelphia Phillies infielder) again.  I spoke to him a lot last season, he is a great guy who knows so much about baseball. He knows my situation; he knows what I’ve got to do.  KJs been in the big leagues – I respect him a lot.  Right now, I’m back living at home with my family which is great because I spend 9 to 10 months out of the country, being around them when I can is really important.

Erasmus was one of just two Brisbane Bandits handpicked to play for Team Australia in the Australian Baseball League All-Stars game in Perth on December 21st which aired on the MLB Network.

This article was originally posted at BaseballDigest.com on December 4^th, but was updated for this publication due to a few transactions that have occurred since it was written.

A Look Back at Boston’s 2011 Season

First, they had that horrific 0-6 start which led to their 11-15 April finish and this was after being tabbed as the AL heir to the Pennant due to their roster with the additions of 1B Adrian Gonzales (moving Kevin Youkilis to 3B) and LF Carl Crawford. Then they went on a tear where they were one of the hottest teams in baseball…until September rolled around. At this point I think we all know what happened then (too much probably), so I won’t rehash it here.

Boston’s Offseason So Far…

This resulted in ownership not picking up longtime manager, Terry (Tito) Francona’s 2-year option leaving the team in search of a replacement. Then there was the long and drawn out process of the Cubs prying away GM Theo Epstein to be their new head of Baseball Operations. Although Boston has promoted Ben Cherrington, who has held almost every possible Baseball Operations position since being hired by Dan Duquette (Boston’s former GM, who is now the new GM of the rival Orioles), they still have not reached an agreement on the compensation package for Epstein who was still under contract with Boston. The next step and the team’s top priority, as new GM Cherrington noted when hired, was to find a new manager.

In the process they lost out on the chance to resign longtime closer Jonathan Papelbon to the Phillies via Free Agency (signed to a record breaking contract for closers, 4 years at $50M with an option for a 5^th year). I’m not sure if this was a rookie mistake, a poorly communicated course of action or just the reaction to the current team situation (the seemingly disharmony between the front office, team field management and the players) because Papelbon didn’t even offer the Red Sox, the team who drafted him and the only place where he has played in his career, the chance to match or beat the offer. Seeing how his annual salary won’t be much different than his 2011 salary with the Red Sox is what makes this decision that much more interesting. Maybe Papelbon, who is not known to be the brightest bulb in the box, just didn’t realize that the reason why the Red Sox hadn’t contacted him yet (he did sign a lot earlier in the offseason that I would have estimated) was because they were solely focused on hiring the next team manager. Oddly enough, shortly after Papelbon’s signing, reports came out that Cherrington contacted either Ortiz or his agent to at least discuss the team’s interest in their longtime DH. Hmm…interesting. Does that move hint towards a rookie mistake in not extending the same courtesy to their former closer or were they simply just ready (and expected) to see him walk and sign elsewhere?

Happy Valentine’s Day, Boston

That brings us to the latest news…the hiring of the 45^th Red Sox manager, Bobby Valentine (former manager of the Texas Rangers from 1985-1992, Chiba Lotte Marines in 1995, the New York Mets from 1996-2002 and another stint with the Chiba Lotte Marines from 2004-2009 where he won a Championship in 2005). Many people have questioned the signing and even the interest in Mr. Valentine by the new GM due to Valentine’s longtime friendship to team President & part principle owner, Larry Lucchino, but if you look into this signing more closely his hiring actually makes sense. As the rumored leaked out of Valentine’s candidacy, I have to admit, as a fan, I wasn’t happy (not knowing much of the man except that he managed the Mets in the US and the Marines in Japan aside from the fact that he had the reputation of not getting along with upper management). However, in the last 24 hours and a little research, I have come to the conclusion that outside of Joe Torre or current Yankees bench coach Tony Pena (my personal preferences for the Boston managerial job), Valentine was the best choice for the job and here are some of the reasons why I now think so…

As Tim Kurkjian writes in his recent article entitled, “Bobby Valentine’s one of a kind”

concerning how Valentine would handle the personalities in the clubhouse after the issues that came to view after the season ended, “Valentine will not allow Josh Beckett to not work in between starts. Valentine will find out how three of Carl Crawford’s five tools disappeared last year, and he will make sure he finds them in 2012.” Kurkjian also writes, “He has no patience for some of the clichéd teaching techniques today, and the common misconceptions about the game.”

Kurkjian goes on to state how age has changed Valentine since his last stint managing in MLB,  “He’s not as smug and as arrogant as he used to be, but not much else has changed. No one sells a team, and the game, better than Valentine. When he takes on a project, “I have to do the whole thing,” he said.”

Kurkjian also mentions Valentine’s effect he has had on the game he writes, “Valentine managed seven years in Japan. He won a championship, but he did much more. In some ways, he changed the way they played baseball in Japan. He changed the way players approached the game and he humanized the players, which wasn’t easy given the structured nature of Japanese baseball.”

Scott Lauber recently spoke with Valentine’s former GM in NY, Steve Phillips about his relationship with his former manager and if he think he would be a good fit in Boston and this is what he had to say, “I think Bobby would be great,” Phillips told the Herald by phone today. “You’ve got an experienced manager who has opinions, who is a new-age thinker. Bobby, he’s not an old-school guy. He thinks outside of the box — a lot. Stats mean something to him. Numbers mean something to him. He actually suits the philosophy of the Red Sox very, very well. Based upon how I would evaluate the Red Sox, I think Bobby would be an excellent fit for them.”

“With the Mets, Phillips said Valentine sat in on meetings in which suggestions were made. He described Valentine as “very vocal,” yet receptive to ideas, especially if they were presented in a respectful way.”

By the way, Lauber started off that article with this statement (for those of you who don’t remember), “Nobody had a more volatile relationship with Bobby Valentine than Steve Phillips.

As the Mets’ GM-manager tandem for six seasons (1997-2002), Phillips and Valentine frequently feuded, often through the media.”

Remaining Free Agents from the 2011 Team

RP Dan Wheeler – if he can pitch in 2012 like he did in Tampa that any team would love to have him, but last season was one where he was inconsistent (probably due to injury) which makes him a questionable option.

P Tim Wakefield (45) – if they don’t get anyone from outside the system to pitch in 2012, then I would definitely bring him back on cheap money due to his recent back problems. I‘d bring him back in that scenario due to his flexibility to spot start on a moment’s notice, be a long man out of the pen or even a 7^th or 8^th inning set up to whomever the closer may be.

C Jason Varitek (39) – with Ramon Hernandez & Chris Iannetta are both in new homes already, unless they make a surprise signing, I think they should bring back the captain as their back up. All bets are off if they sign a starting catcher & move Salty to a backup role.

Player(s) To Look Out for in 2012

SS Jose Iglesias will get some platoon time under Valentine if he proves he can hit. If not, they may bring him up as a defensive specialist late in games. OF Ryan Kalish will get a serious look if he can stay healthy. If they do not resign either Varitek or Ortiz, then that would open up a roster spot for C/DH Ryan Lavarnway who has the ability to impress with his bat in 2012.

Holes that Need to be Filled

RF, 4^th & 5^th starter, bullpen arms and possibly a closer.

Now with Valentine’s propensity to platoon players, I could see them not make a move at all and go with both Ryan Kalish and Josh Reddick. Otherwise, look for them to pick up someone like Michael Cuddyer or Josh Willingham now that Theo signed David DeJesus to play RF for the Cubs in 2012.

Possible free agent 4^th and 5^th starters could be selected from the following list: Mark Burhle, Chris Capuano, Aaron Harang, Edwin Jackson, Paul Maholm, Roy Oswalt, C.J. Wilson and Chris Young. From this list, Harang’s tendency to be a fly ball pitcher may not do well at home in Boston and it is unclear in Young, Oswalt and Capuano can stay healthy for the entire year. On top of that, I think that Wilson will cost more than he’s worth.

Possible free agent RPs could come from the following list: Todd Coffey, Octavio Dotel, Chad Durbin (who can spot start), Mike Gonzalez, John Grabow, Chad Qualls (in a set up role and Joel Zumaya (if he can stay healthy).

Possible Trade Bait

The top names I would expect to see traded would be anyone who they can move that refuses to play under Valentine (there have been rumors of player unrest over the selection of Valentine) including Josh Beckett. Other possible options would be Kevin Youkilis, Josh Reddick, Marco Scutaro or Jed Lowrie (depending on which wins the starting SS job in the spring) and Matt Albers (although he may not bring back much on his own). This would happen if Iglesias has a good Spring Training or it allows them to get a decent 4^th or 5^th starter, a right fielder or a quality arm in the bullpen.

Photo taken from Google Images

In what can only be described as stunning, the Angels shook the baseball world today in a way normally reserved only for earthquakes on Southern California’s notorious San Andreas Fault by announcing they have reached an agreement on a 10 year contract with first baseman Albert Pujols and a 5 year agreement with starting pitcher CJ Wilson. While the final numbers won’t be known for a few days, the Pujols deal is reported to be in excess of $254 million andWilson’s deal is reported to be worth in the neighborhood of $77 million. For a franchise that was advising GM candidates in interviews 6 weeks ago that they weren’t going to be major free agent players this year, this is earth shattering news. As an ardent MLB follower in multiple media forums (XM/Sirius Radio, ESPN, MLB Network, Twitter) I can tell you the Angels were mentioned as interested in Pujols, but never mentioned as serious players. Watching the reactions on the faces of people around MLB this morning – it appears this has really shocked most of the baseball world. If you’re an Angels fan you can’t help but love the wall to wall coverage the team is receiving by landing the best hitter on the planet. Only this kind of shocking news could have overshadowed the Miami Marlins spending spree (except perhaps the Marlins hideous new uniforms) this week at MLB’s winter meetings.

Perhaps an even bigger side to this is the fact that the Angels are reported to have only entered onto the Team Pujols radar as late as Tuesday. That means the Angels managed to close a deal for the best professional baseball hitter in under 48 hours. The Angels in recent years have been rebuffed by big name stars such as CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Carl Crawford. This time the Angels offered up the cash and terms needed to close the deal and got the guy they wanted as the anchor to their lineup and face of their franchise. By all appearances it appears the Angels offered at least $30 million more in cash than the Cardinals offered and the no trade clause that the Marlins refused to include.

The Angels also got CJ Wilson to sign at below market value for a lower dollar amount and fewer years than other offersWilsonwas said to have received. Interestingly Wilson (who is from Southern California and has a beach condo, a home inBeverly Hillsand grew up in near byHuntington Beach) said in a radio interview today that his first choice was the Dodgers, (more on that to follow) but they never even made an offer.Wilsonjoins an outstanding starting rotation that includes Jared Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana giving the Angels 4 starting pitchers who all pitched over 200 innings with ERA’s under 4.00 last season and should give them a chance to win in most every game in 2012.

Of lesser note is the Angels signing of LaTroy Hawkins to stabilize the back end of their bullpen. His presence and experience brings some stability to the later innings for the Angels bullpen. All the Angels appear to need is a dependable closer to meet their existing needs to make a run at the NL West and Texas Rangers 2 year hold on that division and the American League Pennant.

The question is where does all this leave the Angels as a baseball team and a competitor in theLos Angelesarea media and entertainment market? As a baseball team it sets the Angels up very well offensively with speedy players like Erik Aybar and Peter Bourjos hitting in front of Pujols. Mike Trumbo hit 29 home runs as a rookie and the Angels hope Kendrys Morales will be healthy after missing most of the past 2 seasons recovering from a broken ankle. Those 2 players combined with the presence of Pujols hitting in the 3 hole potentially gives the Angels formidable home run and RBI production in the middle of their lineup. In solid if unspectacular players like Howie Kendrick, Torii Hunter, Bobby Abreu and Vernon Wells the Angels now have a balanced lineup with people hitting in the correct lineup spots that maximize their talents and abilities. The only question mark today appears to be at closer where rookie Jordan Walden struggled with consistency in 2011. Hard to imagine the Angels would spend over $320 million for Pujols and Wilson and not address the need for a reliable closer. Then again they didn’t pursue Heath Bell before he signed with the Marlins either. They have interesting young pieces to offer in a trade (Trumbo, Mike Trout) for what they need and they have options via free agency in Ryan Madsen. Most experts place the addition ofWilsonat 5 wins above replacement (war) and Pujols war at 5 as well. That’s a composite of 10 games better than 2011 when the Angels won 86 games. 96 wins puts them in the playoffs, and with their outstanding rotation, solidified bullpen and diversified offense, the Angels become a very formidable team in the playoffs to be dealt with.

By all accounts the Angels have put together a dream team. In 2011 many thought the Boston Red Sox had done the same thing. I have a couple of thoughts to offer on that front. All of these players have excellent reputations as good clubhouse guys and hard workers. With Mike Scioscia as manager, don’t expect to hear things like Angels players running amuck eating fried chicken and drinking beer in the clubhouse during games. The Angels appear to have invested in good, solid people as well as terrific players. LaTroy Hawkins was quoted today on Sirius/XM: “I’ll pitch whatever inning the team needs me to pitch to give us the chance to win ball games”. That’s heady stuff for a 35 year old veteran pitcher.

It appears the Angels positioned themselves for this spending spree and a serious run at the World Series after new revenues they received as a result of a new television deal with Fox. The Angels timing of these signings positions them perfectly to have several seasons of winning, competitive baseball and to take advantage of their main rival’s (Dodgers) current dreadful ownership situation. All this comes at a time when the Dodgers 2012 payroll is believed to not be above $90 million. This is notable as even the Minnesota Twins (yes the Twins in the 14^th-15^th largest media market) will have a payroll at or exceeding $100 million next season. As a lifelong resident ofSouthern California, the perception out here is that the Angels have always been the younger nagging sibling to the big brother bully Dodgers. These moves make it clear that Owner Arte Moreno is serious about establishing the Angels brand by winning now and the next several years. One look at the most recent moves made by the Dodgers are in stark contrast (Mark Ellis, Chris Capuano, Matt Treanor, Aaron Harang, Josh Bard, Jerry Hairston Jr, etc) to the moves the Angels have just completed. In the long term the Angels have positioned themselves to take over the greater LA media market and brand name recognition for quite some time. Signing a marquee, superstar player like Albert Pujols to be the face of their franchise secures that the Angels will be relevant for years into the future as he chases World Series titles and MLB records in his Hall of Fame career.

The downside ? Obviously the 10 year length of the offer will be measured at the middle to end of the 10 years as much as the first 3-4. For a player in his early 30’s, it is risky in the long term. But the potential upside rewards are also very high. One thing the Pujols and Wilson signings do is immediately change the MLB landscape and especially the AL West. One thing the Angels with Pujols won’t be is irrelevant for a long time.

Step up to the plate with David Ortiz…
And help make a difference for kids in need.

The fourth-annual David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic will bring some of the biggest names in sports to the Dominican Republic this week in support of the slugger’s charitable efforts. Fishing Lodge Cap Cana, a Salamander Caribbean Resort that opened on Oct. 12, 2011, will play host to this year’s events, which includes a celebrity golf classic played at the world-renowned Punta Espada Golf Course in Cap Cana, DR. If you cannot make it to the Dominican Republic for the event there is still a chance to donate and help provide critical care services to children in need.

Image via Wikipedia

Fans can bid in this year’s auction! Bidding is going on now and some of the items that fans will bid on include:
• Hitting lessons from David Ortiz
• The chance to play catch with Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia
• Two (2) tickets for VIP access to Style360, a multi-day fashion showcase during New York Fashion Week
• A thirty (30) minute tennis session with Andy Roddick
• Two (2) US Open Suite tickets for one (1) day session during the first week of the Tournament
• A once-in-a-lifetime vacation for 12 people at the Golden Dolphin Villa located on the North Coast of
the Dominican Republic
• Autographed memorabilia from Red Sox players and other professional sports stars

The online auction bidding will be open until 3:40 p.m. ET on December 3, 2011, where items will then move live to the event. Online bidders will be represented by proxy on-site at the event.

In its first three years, the Classic has netted more than $650,000 and has impacted hundreds of lives in New England and the Dominican Republic.

The "Boy Wonder"

This (past) Thanksgiving (2011) there is plenty to be thankful for. Here at Baseball Reflections we talk about baseball and usually the world baseball fans live in is a bit different from what else is going on in the world or in our lives. Yet for some of us, baseball is our lives… it’s our pastime. And when it comes to being a fan of the San Diego Padres there are some holes… gaps that need to be answered. I guess fans will have to wait and see what the off-season moves will bring and how thankful we’ll actually be. It reminds me of so many years in the past. In the history of the Padres I can think of a handful of times when Padres fans were pretty excited about the coming year.

In 1968 San Diegans were excited to have landed a Major League Baseball team for the 1969 season. In 1983 the franchise built a team that made its first trip to the World Series the following year and in 1997 they did the same for their second trip to the Fall Classic. Then in 2003 it was preparing for a move into a new ballpark. Yes, there have been some surprises along the way, the most recent being the off-season of 2008. Not many people picked the Padres to have the success they had in 2009. What made that season exciting was the fact there was a young General Manager in Jed Hoyer, who got productivity from a group of young talent. The 2011 season saw the Padres finish with a 71-91 record and the departure of Hoyer, whom I referred to in 2008 as the “Boy Wonder”.

The “Boy Wonder”, has wandered off to Chicago. I am the type of fan who gets over things very quickly when it comes to sports, yet seeing Hoyer leave had a lasting taste of bitterness. I wanted to see him succeed here, more than just what he did in 2009. Now I’ll never know. I understand why he left, bigger opportunities with bigger results. Hoyer has a chance to be part of something very unique. To be part of what the Boston Red Sox did in 2004 and what is possible in Chicago.

Fans are also left with the fact that the team declined to pick up the option of Aaron Harang (14-7/3.64) and as of right now there are questions whether or not fan favorite and All-Star Heath Bell will be back as the team’s closer. They decided not to trade him. Since they did not trade him, now he’s going to walk and the team doesn’t get what they potentially could have gotten for him during the trading deadline last season! Heath Bell wants to stay in San Diego, he loves the community, and he loves the Padres.

I don’t want to take anything away from the team’s new General Manager Josh Byrnes, he has a window of opportunity here and I eagerly anticipate what will happen. So for now, this is what I am grateful for this Thanksgiving when it comes to the Padres.

New uniforms! Yes the team will fashion new duds in 2012. Really? Team President/Chief Operating Officer Tom Garfinkel said, “We spent a lot of time listening to our fans about the uniforms over the past two years,” said Garfinkel. “What we learned is that, while the current design isn’t loved, there is also a strong feeling that this club has had so many radical changes over the years that we didn’t need another one. With that in mind, our staff worked diligently, reviewing every detail to create a more traditional baseball design that San Diegans can be proud of. The new uniforms and logos focus on the unique elements of Padres history.” My thought is, why change the team’s look if the team is winning… oh yeah. If the team is winning consistently is it necessary to have a new look? Shouldn’t we be more concerned about what we are paying for on the field? What is nice to see (and I am thankful for) is the team’s support of the community, they announced that they would supply 10,000 youth baseball players from four local Little League districts, Padres jerseys for the upcoming season as part of the club’s ongoing effort to support youth baseball. As part of this program, the teams representing Little League districts throughout San Diego County will have their choice of selecting one style of uniform worn from throughout Padres history to wear during the 2012 youth baseball season.

There is more to be thankful for, such as former Major Leaguer and Padre Phil Plantier being named as the team’s new hitting coach and the signing of veteran outfielder Mark Kotsay. Plantier had success as the team’s California League manager this past season. He took over the team midway through the season and helped lead them to a championship; he takes over for Randy Ready who was fired following the Padres season. I’m excited to see how Plantier handles the challenge he has for the coming season. Kotsay will add veteran leadership off the bench and help some of the younger talent on the team. And lastly, I am thankful for the team announcing their spring training schedule; I can always get excited about a new season of baseball.

Which leads to an interesting question for general manager Ben Cherington: what is the ultimate goal to be accomplished with this hire?  The last time the Red Sox had to fill this position, the organization was still licking its wounds from Aaron Boone’s ALCS-clinching home run off of Tim Wakefield in 2003.  Owners John Henry, Larry Lucchino, and Tom Werner were furious with Grady Little’s inability to acknowledge the staggering evidence that Pedro’s arm might as well fall off after 100 pitches in a ballgame.  Grady was an easygoing player’s manager, but faltered in the key aspect.

Enter Terry Francona, a man with former major league managing experience in Philadelphia (a town frequently compared to Boston and New York for their fan bases’ passion towards sharing their opinions).  Here was a guy who could do what Little did and take it one step further.  The result: bye-bye Bambino curse, hello Duck Boat parades in 2004 and 2007.

With those successes under the team and city’s belts, suddenly every September and October game took on added meaning and additional pressure.  The payroll ballooned to meet the demands of a passionate fan base for whom anything less than a championship meant dismal failure, much like their rival brethren four hours down I-95.  Somewhere along the way, with all that money being handed out to Jonathan Papelbon (who refused to talk long-term contract in order to squeeze every dime out of his arbitration years), Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, JD Drew, and so on, the players became too comfortable with their surroundings, as if they owned the place.

The qualities that made Terry Francona such a perfect fit for the job in 2003 were put to the test.  That clubhouse had grown so comfortable with his style that there was little maneuvering left for him to push people into when the team wasn’t going well.  Which brings us to today.

What does this team need in their next skipper?  The curse is gone, a new tradition of winning, not just contending, is in place.  But you have a team that lost their way in both April (don’t forget that horrific 11-15 start that was just as much to blame for the Sox’s position at the end of the year) and September, with the bulk of the team returning for 2012.   So what does this team need to put last year’s demons behind them?

Enter the new manager.  This team needs a new identity, a new chemistry, and a new voice to bring those two things together.  Which is why the pool of candidates is so interesting.

None of these men have an established managerial track record or reputation.  Which is PERFECT for this club.

A blank slate is the best place to start.  This team needs to start from scratch.  While there are still holdovers that have come up through the Red Sox system like Dustin Pedroia, Jon Lester, and Jacoby Ellsbury, this is still a relatively mixed group that has been acquired in recent years like Beckett, Lackey, and Adrian Gonzalez.  This team needs to develop a new identity the way the 2004 Red Sox came up with the “Band of Idiots” moniker.  That team had fun together and subsequently won together.

While the candidates for the job have learned from some of the games best managers (Charlie Manuel in Philly, former Sox pitching Coach John Farrell in Toronto, Jim Leyland in Detroit), they can learn and foster their abilities and team identity with the 25 players in that cramped clubhouse on Yawkey Way.

The Red Sox had self-imposed a deadline of Thanksgiving to have named their next skipper, but with their seeming top choice headed for the North Side of Chicago, it seems they don’t mind taking their time and having a new guy in place by the winter meetings.  It will be interesting to see which face they intend to stamp on that clubhouse as they try to bury the end of last year’s story when they report to Ft. Myers.

The trouble with hiring someone without a track record is we don’t have much to go on as far as predicting what they’ll bring to the table.  The reason is simple: the only people in proper position to judge their characters are Ben Cherington and whoever he brings in the room for the interview.  Nobody necessarily knew what men like Joe Maddon would bring to Tampa or Bud Black to San Diego.

This club needs someone who can be a stoic field boss in leading the troops on the field, can take proper direction from Cherington & Co. on how to deploy the players at his disposal, and help the 25 guys in the clubhouse remember to have fun despite the enormous pressures of playing in Boston.

While this seems like a monumental task, it also seems to be the mold many clubs have built successfully.  Joe Maddon in Tampa Bay is one such example of a guy who understands the philosophies of the front office but has served as a catalyst for his players, leading them to three playoff berths in the past four years despite one of baseball’s lowest payrolls.

The Red Sox will likely continue their hunt for the latest treasure in that mold of manager and hope it will reignite that perfect chemistry between front office, manager, and clubhouse that turned Fenway Park into the powerhouse baseball destination we’ve come to know it as for the past decade.