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On the path to a World Series title, the Boston Red Sox showed the ability to hit in the biggest moments on the October stage. If their free-agency blueprint stays on course, a deep, clutch lineup will soon be even more dangerous.

According to George A. King III of the New York Post, the Red Sox are strongly interested in bringing the 36-year-old Carlos Beltran to Fenway Park.

Just weeks after a parade in Boston, the champions are facing an offseason of question marks. From qualifying offers to Stephen Drew, Mike Napoli and Jacoby Ellsbury, to free-agent catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, a fourth of the lineup that helped win a World Series could be different by spring training.

Although Beltran is in decline, he’s a perfect free-agent fit for the Boston Red Sox due to the insurance his unique skill set provides a roster. As the free-agent period begins, adding Carlos Beltran to the Red Sox would protect them from losing one or more of their 2013 contributors. 

Unlike second-division clubs, Boston doesn’t need a franchise-changing player to walk through the door this winter. Led by Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Shane Victorino and the emerging Xander Bogaerts, the Red Sox simply need complementary talent to ensure a carryover of success.

One year ago, Boston’s front office, led by general manager Ben Cherington, sought out quality second-tier offensive pieces to add to a solid core in Boston’s lineup. The same principles that led to short-term pacts with Victorino and Napoli can serve as a base for a potential deal with Carlos Beltran this winter.

At this juncture of his career, Beltran isn’t a difference-making player from April through September, but he’s good enough to enhance any lineup in baseball with switch-hitting ability, power and defensive reputation. 

Don’t downplay the significance of Beltran’s ability to hit from both sides of the plate when considering why teams will be eager to give a 36-year-old a two- or three-year deal this winter.

From Boston to New York to Baltimore, front offices understand what good switch-hitting ability can add to a lineup. If the Red Sox bring Beltran aboard, he would instantly replace the dynamic lost if Saltalamacchia departs for another team. The combination of Shane Victorino and Beltran would work perfectly with the righty-lefty combination of Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz in the middle of Boston’s 2014 lineup.

With uncertainty hanging over the return of first baseman Mike Napoli, Boston’s roster needs an infusion of power to pair with David Ortiz in the middle of the lineup. This past season, Napoli hit 23 home runs. With power down around the game, placing a 23-homer bat behind David Ortiz in the regular lineup afforded the team with adequate protection for their star. Although Beltran isn’t the slugger that averaged 30 home runs per season from 2002 to 2007, he’s coming off a 24-homer campaign in St. Louis.

If Beltran does ink his name on a contract in Boston, don’t expect Red Sox president Larry Lucchino to talk up his defense during a press conference in Fenway Park. According to Baseball-Reference’s Defensive Runs Saved statistic, provided by Baseball Info Solutions, Beltran cost St. Louis six runs in the field in 2013, continuing a trend of DRS numbers that have been negative since 2011. The Gold Glove-winning center fielder of old is gone, replaced by an older, slower Beltran, who will need to see time at designated hitter as the years move on.

Despite those facts, there’s value in what Beltran’s past and present bring to the table on defense.

With Shane Victorino proving his worth in Boston’s right field, the Red Sox can experiment with an outfield, from left to right, of Beltran, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Shane Victorino in spring training. Asking Bradley Jr. to effectively replace Jacoby Ellsbury’s defense in center field won’t be easy, but surrounding him with former star center fielders will help ease the transition.

Beltran in left field would be a transition, but asking him to cover less ground—due to the short distance of the Green Monster—would help his knees for 81 games per season. Plus, if Manny Ramirez could survive in Fenway Park’s left field, Beltran can excel. 

As WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford cited, Beltran would cost Boston a draft pick, due to St. Louis placing a one-year qualifying offer on him. The pick, plus the imperfect nature of replacing Ellsbury’s center field glove with another corner outfielder, along with already having corner outfielders like Daniel Nava and Jonny Gomes, makes a potential Beltran signing less than ideal.

Bradford’s thought process is fair, but it doesn’t extend to everything else Beltran could protect the Red Sox from in the free-agent process. Switch-hitting ability, power and defensive flexibility are commodities that rarely come together as a package deal. In Beltran, they accompany one of the most respected clutch hitters in the sport.

If that’s not enough to convince Red Sox nation, signing the potential Cooperstown-bound star would keep him away from division rivals in New York and Baltimore.

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It wouldn’t be award season without controversy. After MLB Network unveiled the finalists for baseball’s four prestigious individual honors, the names left off the list are even more compelling.

Next week, the winners of the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Awards, Managers of the Year, Most Valuable Players and Cy Young Awards will be announced. Starting on Monday, Nov. 10, the opportunity to banter about which players ultimately took home the honors, respectively, can be debated all winter long.

For now, though, we take a glance at the players left off the list of finalists, as voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

When the final tally is released, it’s quite possible that all of our biggest snubs will have received at least a vote or two from the BBWAA, but the inability to garner enough votes to be a finalist is egregious for each of the following 2013 stars.

*All statisticians courtesy of Baseball-Reference unless otherwise noted.

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Major League Baseball’s free-agent period is open for business, signaling the unofficial start of the hot stove, yearly banter about the ridiculous nature of long-term contracts and, as always, a premium placed upon high-end starting pitching.

In order to navigate through the marathon of a 162-game regular season, pitching depth is imperative for any organization. Developing and cultivating young, cheap and dominant pitching has helped the St. Louis Cardinals become a National League powerhouse in recent years.

Of course, not every team has the scouting and player development staff that has been assembled in St. Louis. For everyone else, a dearth of top-tier prospects in the minor leagues will lead to exorbitant prices thrown at free-agent starters. 

One of those free agents is the enigmatic and tantalizing Matt Garza. 

Due to a midseason trade from Chicago to Texas, Garza is a rare 29-year-old (soon to be 30) potential All-Star that does not enter this offseason with draft pick compensation tied to his impending contract. For teams interested, it will simply be about dollars, years and future production.

Based on projections from CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, and a pair of industry experts, an unbiased agent and general manager, Garza could garner anywhere from $66 million to $85 million in free agency. Considering the market for starting pitching afforded Edwin Jackson $52 million just last year, the dollar amount seems reasonable for a (relatively) young pitcher on the open market who doesn’t come with a draft pick attachment or history of major arm surgery.

Salary and expectations are two different things for general managers to think about over the next month. It’s clear that Garza’s consistency (sub-4 ERA in every full big league season), ability to pitch inside the AL East (3.86 ERA in 94 starts with Tampa Bay) and age will lead to a sizable contract. What the next half decade of Garza’s career will look like, however, is up in the air.

As pointed out when discussing why the Yankees should not include Garza in their offseason plans, dominance has not been a consistent part of his reputation since 2006. At times, Garza can transform a rotation, but not on a start-to-start basis. Paying the right-handed pitcher to enhance a staff isn’t a poor allocation of payroll, but expecting a total rotation transformation is foolhardy.

Over the last three years, Garza has been a mix of very good and confounding. Normally, outstanding pitchers will peak in the seasons that precede free agency, setting themselves up for a massive payday. On one hand, Garza has placed himself in the conversation with some of baseball’s best starters since 2011. 

Despite his inclusion on that list, directly below Madison Bumgarner, it’s impossible not to take note of how many fewer innings he’s pitched over the last three seasons, due to elbow and lat injuries, than the stars above him. Also, despite averaging a healthy 8.4 K/9 since 2011, the total figure has dropped in each season from 9.0 to 8.3 to 7.9. That’s not the kind of trend that typically accompanies franchise-changing arms.

At this juncture of Garza’s career, he’s similar to another supremely talented, yet enigmatic starter at a comparable career stage. The following shows Garza’s career numbers side-by-side with that pitcher. At the time, the mystery arm was a year away from free agency and still assumed to have another rotation-altering level to his game. 

As you may have guessed, Mystery Pitcher is A.J. Burnett. The similarities between a younger, confounding Burnett and the current Garza are eerie. Both had injury issues, inconsistency and decent numbers through almost the exact same amount of career innings.

After a big 2008 season, Burnett signed a five-year, $82.5 million free-agent contract with the New York Yankees. While his contributions did help lead New York to a 2009 World Series title, the deal didn’t work out. Despite showing flashes of dominance, especially in Game 2 of the 2009 World Series, Burnett never put it all together, finishing his Yankees career with an unsightly 4.79 ERA over 98 starts.

To be fair, Garza isn’t Burnett. Although their statistics and player profiles are quite similar through a certain junction of their respective careers, lumping Garza into the Burnett 2.0 category isn’t totally justified. Over the next five years, Garza may pitch the best baseball of his career, more than justifying $80 million or more in free agency. 

When Brian Cashman gave Burnett a lucrative deal after the 2008 season, he was banking on Burnett, along with CC Sabathia, transforming the Yankees rotation for years to come. That dream never became reality. 

Five years later, Garza embarks on free agency with very similar red flags. No one is denying the ability and potential for more growth during the second half of his career, but counting on him to transform a rotation could be a major mistake.

Can Matt Garza transform a rotation?

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From an outside perspective, Major League Baseball’s offseason can be difficult to understand. Unlike the NBA, NFL and NHL, a salary cap isn’t present to handcuff the ability of an organization to retain stars with expiring pacts.

Yet, despite the lack of a unified budget for each team, owners and front office executives have limits for each player during the hot-stove season.

Just two years ago, the St. Louis Cardinals allowed Albert Pujols to walk in free agency when the Los Angeles Angels offered him a contract well in excess of $200 million. Instead of folding the tent, St. Louis handed the first base job to a young player developed through its system named Allen Craig.

Due to Craig’s limited service time, his salary was just $495,000 in 2012. With the money allocated to a potential Pujols deal, the Cardinals gave Adam Wainwright a contract extension and signed Carlos Beltran to help fill the power void in the middle of their lineup.

This winter, expect similar decisions to be made all around baseball. When a star leaves in free agency, the door is opened for a young player within the system to become a starter and dollars to be allocated differently throughout the roster.

Here are four top prospects ready to fill the shoes of free agents on the path to departing their 2013 teams.

1. St. Louis Cardinals: Oscar Taveras in, Carlos Beltran out.

If you think St. Louis is going to eschew logic and overpay for Beltran’s age-37 season, you haven’t been paying attention to the way the Cardinals do business lately.

Despite raking on the national stage in October, Beltran’s on-base percentage, slugging, home runs and WAR all slipped considerably from 2012 to 2013. It’s hard to imagine St. Louis showing him the door if he was willing to come back at a below-market-value rate, but if the star outfielder is looking for one last lucrative deal, it won’t come from the team that has his replacement ready in the minors.

If not for injury, baseball fans would have seen Oscar Taveras in the majors in 2013. As Bleacher Report’s MLB Prospects Lead Writer Mike Rosenbaum wrote about the 21-year-old outfielder in September, Taveras will be able to replace Beltran’s bat quickly.

Per Rosenbaum: “Taveras has 25-plus-home run potential; lift to swing; ball has carry; extra-base machine. Hits same-side pitching; makes loud contact to all fields; comfortable hitting any pitch in any count.“

2. Boston Red Sox: Jackie Bradley Jr. in, Jacoby Ellsbury out.

While Tavares, rated as the No. 3 prospect in baseball by Rosenbaum, is simply too talented to block by re-signing Beltran to another deal, Boston’s outfield shuffle will have more to do with philosophy than making the team better in 2014. 

As I wrote when pointing out why Ellsbury wouldn’t be a smart target for the New York Yankees, Boston’s offense with him atop the order was a much more prolific group than it was when he was injured. Although Bradley Jr. projects to be a regular player on a first-division team, he’s not going to come close to replacing the 2011 AL MVP runner-up in Ellsbury.

Boston’s front office knows this, but don’t expect it to suddenly jump back into the business of handing out contracts in excess of seven years or $100 million.

Don’t believe me? Listen to what team president Larry Lucchino had to say when appearing as a guest on WEEI in Boston.

“I don’t want to rule out anything, except that there will be a presumption against doing any very long-term deals,” Lucchino said. “I think we’ve crossed that bridge and we realized that there’s a better way to spend money, that free agency and long-term deals are not the best way to build a franchise or to succeed over time. So there is a very strong presumption against that.”

3. Atlanta Braves: Christian Bethancourt in, Brian McCann out.

Free agent Brian McCann’s impending departure from Atlanta, after nine highly successful seasons, is often tied to the Braves’ belief in power-hitting catcher Evan Gattis. While Gattis‘ breakout 2013 (21 HR, .480 SLG) is reason to shy away from overpaying McCann, it’s the presence of another promising young catcher in Atlanta that should keep fans from worrying about their future behind the plate.

When Christian Bethancourt was called up in September, after posting a .741 OPS with Double-A Mississippi, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez raved about his talent to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.

“We think the world of [Bethancourt] defensively,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He’s had a nice season offensively at Double-A. We’ll bring him up here and just let him get some experience.“

Between Bethancourt‘s defense and emerging offense and Gattis‘ power stick, the Braves are covered when McCann departs.

4. Pittsburgh Pirates: Jameson Taillon in, A.J. Burnett out.

To be fair, the 2014 Pittsburgh Pirates’ best shot at the franchise’s first World Series title since 1979 would be with both Burnett and the 21-year-old Taillon in the rotation. If Pittsburgh could sport a quartet of Francisco Liriano, Burnett, Gerrit Cole and Taillon atop its staff, the NL Central could belong to the Bucs.

Of course, Pittsburgh can if Burnett chooses to stick around for one more season. Unlike St. Louis with Beltran, Boston with Ellsbury or Atlanta with McCann, this isn’t a case of dollars and value. After what Burnett became on the mound and in the clubhouse for the Pittsburgh organization, he would be brought back at a fair rate by Pirates management.

Yet, after 15 big league seasons, Burnett is contemplating retirement this offseason. The subject, first brought into the mainstream by Hardball Talk in March, didn’t die down as the season progressed for the 94-win Pirates.

After the conclusion of Pittsburgh’s division series loss to St. Louis, team president Frank Coonelly made it clear that the team would welcome him back during a conversation with Bill Brink of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“He’s got a decision to make, first and foremost, whether it’s time for him to spend more time with his family or whether he thinks he can go another year,” Coonelly said. “If he decides that he wants to come back, we definitely want A.J. back.”

If Burnett does depart, Taillon, a former first-round pick, will be asked to fill major shoes in the 2014 Pirates rotation. Bleacher Report’s Mike Rosenbaum projects him to be a No. 3 starter during his big league career but would likely have to reach that potential almost immediately to fill the void of Burnett.

However, if Burnett does decide to stick around for one more run at a ring in Pittsburgh, Taillon can be eased into a fourth starter role and given the chance to progress at his own pace.

Agree? Disagree? Can these prospects replace the veterans?

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Heading into each respective League Championship Series, the Detroit Tigers felt like the team that most needed to capture a World Championship in 2013.

St. Louis is always in October, Boston already completed a worst-to-first comeback story and Los Angeles had the deep pockets and roster full of young or prime-aged stars. The Tigers were the only team in the group without a solid long-term future.

After their ALCS exit, followed by the sudden retirement of Jim Leyland from the bench, the Tigers must avoid a 2014 hangover in order to squeeze one or two more years out of a championship window that could shut soon after.

To be fair, the 2014 Tigers should be really, really good. With a rotation of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, Doug Fister and Rick Porcello all under team control for next season, Detroit will boast one of the best rotations in the game. When healthy, the Miguel Cabrera-Prince Fielder combo is among the biggest and best in any order in baseball. Until someone dethrones that star power atop the AL Central, pencil Detroit in for a postseason trip.

Yet, the window won’t stay open forever. With trade rumors already swirling around Scherzer’s name, Sanchez’s inability to pitch full seasons, the potential of Prince Fielder’s rough 2013 becoming the start of a decline and Miguel Cabrera entering the wrong side of 30, Detroit’s window to finally capture a World Series could be smaller than expected.

In order to maximize that window, the franchise will need to shake off their ALCS loss and make 2014 another big year in the regular-season win column.

Here are four ways they can accomplish that goal.

1. Hire a manager the players want

Jim Leyland’s departure was surprising, but hardly shocking. The legendary manager will turn 69 in December and has been in Detroit since 2006. If the front office and ownership brass wasn’t keeping a short list of names handy for when this day arrived, shame on them.

As Detroit enters the managerial carousel, the most important attribute of their new manager shouldn’t center around philosophy as much as personality. Yes, the Tigers need to find the right fit for this particular group more than they need to unearth a baseball genius.

With a roster that is built to win right now, the interview process conducted by general manager Dave Dombrowski will be among the most interesting subplots to this upcoming offseason. The right candidate can be experienced or inexperienced, well-versed in numbers or poised to lead on gut feeling, there for the long haul or ready for one last contract.

The details won’t matter if he doesn’t mesh with the current 25-man roster and extract a big 2014 season from the group. Some teams have the luxury of letting a manager grow into a job. This Tigers team, attempting to avoid a hangover in 2014, doesn’t have that luxury.

2. Keep Max Scherzer unless an outrageous offer hits the table

According to Joel Sherman of The New York Post, the Tigers are unsure what to do with the likely 2013 AL Cy Young winner. On the surface, it’s hard to imagine Detroit trading away a 29-year-old strikeout king coming off a career year. After winning 21 of 24 regular-season decisions, Scherzer’s 34 strikeouts in 23.1 postseason innings was part of the strength of Detroit’s team. 

On the other hand, Scherzer will be a free agent at the conclusion of the 2014 season. If he posts numbers anywhere close to his 2013 season (214 IP, 2.90 ERA, 240 K), he’ll be in line for a contract in excess of $20 million per season. With Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder all making at least that in annual salary, the Tigers would be pushing $100 million in payroll commitments to four players at the start of the 2015 season.

There’s a precedent for exploring the market, but unless the team is blown away with an offer that makes the team younger, cheaper and still a viable contender in 2014, it doesn’t make sense to remove a dominant pitcher from a rotation gunning for a title.

3. Enter the Jacoby Ellsbury sweepstakes

Yes, offering Ellsbury a contract in excess of $100 million would defeat the purpose of trading Scherzer in order to keep financial flexibility in 2015 and beyond. But the potential to form the best lineup in baseball and keep the Scherzer options open may be too much to pass up for Dombrowski. 

Despite scoring 796 runs, the second-most in baseball behind Boston, Detroit did not receive great production from leadoff hitter Austin Jackson. While his .337 OBP was far from bad, it represented a 40-point dip from his 2012 output, per Baseball-Reference.com. Replacing the enigmatic and inconsistent Jackson atop the order with Ellsbury would give Detroit this potential top five in their everyday lineup:

1. Ellsbury
2. Torii Hunter
3. Miguel Cabrera
4. Prince Fielder
5. Victor Martinez

Furthermore, signing Ellsbury would give their new manager the option of playing either Jackson or Ellsbury in Comerica Park’s spacious left field. With both players possessing elite defensive capability in center field, the Tigers could have three former center fielders, along with Hunter in right, roaming the outfield at once.

Financially, this would likely end Max Scherzer’s tenure in Detroit in the near future. If the team went all-in for 2014, they could afford Ellsbury’s big deal and Scherzer’s final year before free agency. If Dombrowski decided to explore trade options for Scherzer, he could get younger in the rotation or behind the plate via trade.

Before dismissing this idea as hot-stove fodder, remember that Ellsbury is represented by Scott Boras. At the conclusion of the 2012 season, five Boras clients were on Detroit’s active roster. When there’s a need and a relationship between agent and team, big deals can happen.

4. Give the closer job to Drew Smyly

In Detroit, the solution to roster issues is to spend money. When Victor Martinez went down with a torn ACL prior to the 2012 season, owner Mike Ilitch spent $214 million on Prince Fielder’s bat. When right field was a black hole heading into 2013, the team gave a two-year deal to a 37-year-old Torii Hunter.

During the early part of 2013, the bullpen was a sore spot for Detroit. Even though Joaquin Benoit solidified the closing role, the grand slam off the bat of David Ortiz in the ALCS could leave open concerns about him as the closer in 2014.

Instead of spending big money on free-agent relievers like Grant Balfour or Edward Mujica, the team should give Drew Smyly a chance to claim a bigger role in their bullpen.

The following chart compares Smyly with four well-known closers in 2013. Before scrolling down, try to decipher which stat line belongs to the current Tigers reliever: 

If you guessed Player D as Smyly, you know what the Tigers left-hander brings to the table. The rest of the quintet:

Player A: Jonathan Papelbon
Player B: Chris Perez
Player C: Fernando Rodney
Player E: Addison Reed

As you can see, the difference between a proven closer and Smyly isn’t big enough for the Tigers to invest major dollars, especially when Scherzer could be dealt for monetary reasons, into a free-agent arm.

Agree? Disagree? What should the Tigers do this offseason?

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The improbable is four victories away from reality. After a dreadful 2012 season, the Boston Red Sox rebounded to win 97 regular-season games, captured the ALDS over Tampa Bay and ousted Detroit in the ALCS. Now, they’ll meet an equally excellent St. Louis Cardinals group in the 2013 World Series.

With apologies to the entire AL East gauntlet, Tampa Bay and Detroit, the Cardinals will represent the stiffest test of 2013 for this Red Sox team. In order to win four of seven games against the National League champs, Boston will have to play their best baseball of the season.

In a series that looks destined for a storybook finish, here is a step-by-step guide for the Red Sox to finish their worst-to-first ride with a World Series parade in Boston.

1. Win one of the first two games in Fenway Park

At first glance, that key is strange to fathom. How can the best team in the American League, coming off a 53-28 record in Fenway Park during the regular season (4-1 thus far at home in October), be satisfied with a split in Boston?

Two reasons: Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha.

After giving credence to the thought process of Jon Lester and/or John Lackey matching the top two Cardinals starters over the first two games of the series, reality will set in for Red Sox fans: St. Louis is bringing the better pitchers to Fenway Park to start the series.

In 13.2 innings of work in the NLCS, the 22-year-old Wacha didn’t allow a single run. Adam Wainwright has now pitched three straight games with at least seven innings pitched and one or zero earned runs allowed. As ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian pointed out, only three pitchers (Mike Mussina, Curt Schilling, Christy Matthewson) topped that in a single postseason.

Despite losing the DH when the series shifts to Busch Stadium in St. Louis for Game 3, 4 and 5, Boston will have the starting pitching advantage. If Boston can split the first two against the dominant St. Louis starters, it will be a boon for their chances at a title.

2. Don’t be afraid of playing David Ortiz at first base in St. Louis

The good news: David Ortiz and Mike Napoli, two of the most dangerous October hitters of recent memory, are both healthy and ready to roll in the World Series.

The bad news: When the series shifts to St. Louis, both can’t be part of the starting lineup unless Boston manager John Farrell decides to play Napoli, a former catcher, behind the plate for the first time this season.

Don’t expect that to happen, meaning Farrell will have to choose between his regular first baseman (Napoli) and his designated hitter (Ortiz) when writing out a lineup card for the middle games of this World Series.

Here’s why Boston shouldn’t be afraid of using Ortiz in the field, thus in his customary fourth spot in the lineup, in at least two of the three games in St. Louis: the 2013 interleague play schedule and St. Louis’ right-handed starters.

First, the schedule. Unlike in previous years, interleague play extended throughout the season for all teams. During Boston’s trips to NL parks this past summer, Ortiz saw action at first base in six games, including a series in Colorado during the final week of the regular season. Unlike the critical first base decision that plagued former Red Sox manager Terry Francona during the 2004 and 2007 World Series, it has not been long since Ortiz played first base. Furthermore, Boston’s pitching staff is more prone to allowing fly balls than grounders. During the season, they ranked just 25th in GB-FB ratio (via Fangraphs), signaling that Ortiz’s defensive limits can be hidden for a small, three-game sample.

Of course, if St. Louis featured a left-handed starter, the platoon might be easier for John Farrell to deploy. In Napoli‘s career, he has hit lefties better than righties (.908-.840 OPS). Similarly, Ortiz, the left-handed slugger, has fared better against righties (.980-.816) by a wide margin. The three projected starters for St. Louis during the games in Busch Stadium (Joe Kelly, Lance Lynn, Adam Wainwright) are all right-handed.

When John Farrell writes out his lineup cards, David Ortiz over Mike Napoli is the correct decision.

3. Use a deep, versatile bench

When assessing the Red Sox 25-man roster, their bench depth stands out. Depending on how John Farrell writes up his lineup card on a given night, there is an abundance of power (Johnny Gomes, Will Middlebrooks), patience (Daniel Nava), athleticism (Xander Bogaerts) and speed (Quintin Berry).

Ironically, the rules of the American League and outstanding depth throughout Boston’s everyday lineup has curtailed Farrell’s ability to deploy his bench on a daily basis throughout the season. Outside of spot starts or occasional pinch hitting or running appearances, the American League game doesn’t lend itself to a major impact from the bench unit on a game-by-game basis.

With the prospect of double switches and removing pitchers when their turn at-bat comes up, look for Farrell to use his bench depth early and often when the series shifts to St. Louis.

The pitching of Lester and offense of Ortiz and Pedroia will be paramount to Boston’s success, but don’t count out a major contribution from players entering the game in the sixth inning or later.

4. Play Xander Bogaerts over Will Middlebrooks

The future is now in Boston. After becoming the youngest Red Sox player (21) in history to record a postseason start, it’s time for Bogaerts to be inserted as the starting third baseman, over Will Middlebrooks, for this World Series.

In total, Bogaerts has reached base in 8 of 11 plate appearances in this postseason. His one-out walk off Max Scherzer during the Red Sox game-winning rally on Saturday night was one of the best postseason at-bats you’ll ever seen. To lay off the 3-2 offering from Scherzer showed more plate discipline in the biggest moment of the season than Middlebrooks showed all summer long.

As Joe Buck said on the Fox broadcast, it was “a pitch that barely missed.”

It’s hard to imagine Bogaerts not in Boston’s opening day lineup in April of 2014, but it’s even harder to imagine them winning this World Series without him in it right now.

*All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference unless otherwise noted

Agree? Disagree? What are your keys to the Red Sox winning the World Series?

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As the Los Angeles Dodgers bowed out of the 2013 NLCS, the player that helped spark their remarkable run through June, July and August, Yasiel Puig, suffered through a difficult series at the plate, in the field and through the voices of critics.

Puig burst onto the scene in Junr, electrifying the Dodgers, winning over the fans of Los Angeles and captivating baseball fans around the country. He was must-watch television on a nightly basis. From the literal (.319/.391/.534) to the figurative, Puig was a comet, soaring from Double-A Chattanooga to rescue a season on the brink.

In the end, he and the Dodgers fizzled. Losers in St. Louis by a 9-0 margin in Game 6, the NL West champions are heading home to retool, reload and vie for a World Series in 2014. Despite a regular season that should surely end in a first or second place finish in the National League Rookie of the Year voting, along with a smattering of MVP consideration, Puig will face question marks in the offseason due to a difficult NLCS and a strange, twisting narrative having to do with his personality.

To be fair, Puig wasn’t good enough in the NLCS. Asked to carry more of an offensive load and hit in the middle of the order, the 22-year-old star didn’t produce the way his team needed. After posting a .471/.500/.529 slash line against the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS, Puig exits his first League Championship Series with an ugly .227/.261/.318 line. On defense, his overaggressive demeanor led to two errors in the deciding game.

Outside of an electrifying triple in Game 3, Puig’s impact was minor in the series. Prior that water cooler moment, the Dodgers right fielder went 0-for-10 in Games 1 and 2, left runners on base in one-run losses and seemed overwhelmed by the St. Louis pitching staff.

Over the next few months, expect writers, fans and rival executives to use broad narratives to explain Puig’s sudden decline during the biggest moments, innings and plate appearances of his season. While it can be convenient to blame his seemingly cavalier attitude, showboating style and flair for the dramatic, those personality traits had little to do with an NLCS slump.

Instead, blame the youth and inexperience of a player that entered the postseason with less than 400 career at-bats in the majors. Against a pitching staff as talented and well-schooled as St. Louis, led by their all-world catcher in Yadier Molina, Puig’s weaknesses were exposed.

At the plate, St. Louis’ plan was clear: bust Puig inside, disrupting his ability to extend his arms and drive the ball the other way. Outside of the ball he hit off Adam Wainwright in Game 3 that became the showboating triple, the Cardinals’ staff stuck to the game plan and it worked.

Clearly, pitchers adjusted against Puig on an at-bat by at-bat case during the regular season, yet he still thrived. The NLCS, however, was different because Puig simply wasn’t ready to adjust on the fly when the pressure of leading his team and batting in the middle of the order was placed upon him due to Hanley Ramirez’s rib injury.

When this season started, the Dodgers looked at Puig, obviously talented from what we watched of him all summer and fall, and decided to send him to Double-A. Part of that was due to a trio of expensive, veteran outfielders that all needed everyday playing time. Regardless, a team with a $200-plus million payroll didn’t place Puig on the opening day roster so he could mature, improve and work on his game.

After injuries and losses piled up, the Dodgers called on Puig. What he lacked in veteran savvy and maturity, he made up for in raw talent. The Dodgers didn’t expect Puig to play the role he ultimately did and can’t be surprised by his struggles on the NLCS stage.

With the World Series starting next week, baseball will quickly shift to the offseason, hot stove and talk of 2014’s breakout stars. When it comes to assessing the present and future of Yasiel Puig, block out the noise. His personality and stardom won’t be the reason for success or failure in Los Angeles. His talent and maturation will be.

His expressive personality and demonstrative on-field behavior are part of his dynamic and unique game and far, far from a reason for decline. Puig’s issues in the 2013 NLCS had more to do with sinking action on Michael Wacha’s fastball than failing to run as hard out of the box as some fans opined for while screaming at their televisions.

If the Dodgers qualify for the 2014 postseason, Puig will be better equiped to handle the moment, expectations and criticism that goes along with struggle, regardless of the regular season numbers and moments that he provides.

In the end, Puig wasn’t ready to take a franchise to the World Series. On a roster that includes Adrian Gonzalez, Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp, Zack Greinke and Hanley Ramirez, he shouldn’t have had to assume that role at the age of 22.

As Vin Scully famously said about Puig in July, “The Wild Horse has led the team to the barn.”

On Friday night in St. Louis, the race ended for the Wild Horse and the team that rode him to October.

Within time, if his game matures, along with his approach at the plate and defensive prowess, he’ll be ready to overcome the pressure of October and lead the Dodgers to a World Series.

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According to baseball writer Peter Gammons, some Boston Red Sox players are upset about Jhonny Peralta‘s inclusion on Detroit’s postseason roster after a 50-game suspension for his connection to the Biogenesis scandal.

From early August through the last week of the regular season, Peralta accepted and served his suspension by Major League Baseball. When the 50 games were completed, it was up to his organization, the Detroit Tigers, whether to include him on the postseason roster.

Unlike the San Francisco Giants’ decision to leave Melky Cabrera home last October under similar circumstances, Detroit chose to bring Peralta’s bat to the postseason party.

Thus far, the decision has paid major dividends. With a 1.200 OPS, four extra-base hits and six runs batted in, Peralta has been a difference-maker for Detroit against both Oakland and Boston. As the series continues in Detroit, Peralta’s ability to hit Red Sox pitching will continue to play a role in the outcome of this series, but the narrative around his inclusion in the ALCS should not be a story.

Simply put, any Boston player who publicly or privately complains about Peralta’s inclusion in this series is a hypocrite. Under the current CBA, players are eligible for the postseason roster if a suspension is completed prior to the start of play.

As Tigers manager Jim Leyland told Gammons, Detroit isn’t doing anything wrong, nor should the Tigers’ accomplishments be sullied if they continue to win baseball games this month.

“All we’re doing is abiding by the rules,” Leyland said.

Those came about through a ratified collective bargaining agreement between the Major League Baseball Players Association and MLB. Every member of the Red Sox roster is in the union, thus accepting of the rules and regulations they fought to bargain and earn.

Of course, this shouldn’t come as a surprise out of Boston. During a Yankees-Red Sox series in August, just weeks after Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez‘s return to the field while appealing his 211-game suspension, John Lackey had this to say to The Boston Globe:

I’ve got a problem with it. You bet I do. How is he still playing? He obviously did something, and he’s playing. I’m not sure that’s right…It’s pretty evident he’s been doing stuff for a lot of years I’ve been facing him.

While the Rodriguez and Peralta situations are slightly different (Rodriguez was playing during a suspension through an appeal, while Peralta has already served his full suspension), the bottom line remains the same: The MLBPA argued for these rights. John Lackey and every other member of the Red Sox roster belongs to the MLBPA.

If they don’t like the rules, petition to change them during the offseason. If they think Rodriguez’s bat impacted the pennant race or Peralta’s current hot streak is changing the postseason, there are two simple and distinct solutions: Get them out at the plate or complain to the union at the appropriate time.

Although the Red Sox are easy to beat up here, this sentiment seems to be floating around the game, perpetuating the thinking that rule-breakers should be treated differently if the games they are participating in have extra meaning.

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria had similar sentiments as Lackey in August, no doubt stemming from the fact that Rodriguez’s production could have cost Tampa a postseason spot. During an interview with Sports Illustrated‘s Jimmy Traina, Longoria said of Rodriguez’s return, “I don’t think it’s fair for the other teams, because I’m in the American League East.”

Not only are players like Lackey, Longoria and the unnamed Red Sox players questioning the merit of the CBA they ratified, they are admitting the only reason it matters is because the player in question is appearing in meaningful games. If the New York Mets have activated Jordany Valdespin after his 50-game, Biogenesis-related suspension was completed, it’s hard to believe anyone would have said a word.

Furthermore, a story like this wouldn’t have come out of Boston if a current member of the Red Sox’s 25-man roster was implicated in the Biogenesis scandal, served a suspension and returned. The same can be said for Longoria’s view if a suspension was handed down to one of his Tampa Bay teammates.

Inconvenience shouldn’t trump logic, but when it comes to baseball players attempting to justify a rule they put into place, anything goes.

The idea of suspended players returning and producing in October is uncomfortable for the sport, but consistent within the rules of the game right now. Until those rules change during a collectively bargained contract, stories and questions about Jhonny Peralta’s bat tainting or changing the Tigers’ run through October are nothing more than sour grapes.

Do the Red Sox have a valid point?

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According to Mark Feinsand of The New York Daily News, there is mutual interest between impending free agent Carlos Beltran and the New York Yankees.

As Yankees general manager Brian Cashman puts together a plan for the upcoming offseason, replacing Curtis Granderson with Carlos Beltran should be a starting point to improve a Yankees offense that was uncharacteristically below-average in 2013.

Due to a swell of injuries to everyday players and losses of key contributors from the 2012 team, New York ranked just 26th in baseball in team OPS (.683) and posted their lowest season run total (650) since 1990. 

Clearly, reinforcements are needed to boost the team closer to postseason contention in 2014. As the decision-makers in New York’s front office put a plan into action, Beltran’s name and bat should be part of it in lieu of retaining Curtis Granderson.

Although Granderson is the younger player (32 compared to 36), he’s not more productive. When assessing the last four seasons for each player (coinciding with Granderson’s arrival in New York and overlapping Beltran’s departure from the crosstown Mets), a clear picture comes into focus: Beltran is a better offensive performer when taking into account his ability to get on base and adjusting power numbers based on park effects.

The following chart places Beltran and Granderson side-by-side since 2010. As you can tell by the numbers, Granderson’s only true advantage lies in the home run column. Yet, with the short right-field porch in Yankee Stadium, his numbers were inflated in New York. Giving the switch-hitting Beltran 81 games to shoot for that same mark would likely level out Granderson’s lone advantage. 

Beltran is the better pure hitter and reaches base far more often. Despite Granderson’s 30 home run advantage, both OPS+ and wRC+ (weighted runs created plus) favor Beltran. Those numbers, to put it simply, measure the impact of each hitter by factoring in league and park effects. During some of the time in question, Beltran played home games at Citi Field in New York and AT&T Park in San Francisco, both known to be difficult on hitters. Meanwhile, Granderson was playing in Yankee Stadium.

Despite a raw OPS of just 19 points better (.849-.830), Beltran’s OPS+ was 13-percent greater (133-120) than Granderson’s. Similarly, Beltran’s wRC+, measuring how many runs a player creates (with 100 being an average offensive performer) was quite higher (133-122) for the current St. Louis Cardinals star.

Outside of the numbers, two variables of Beltran’s and Granderson’s respective careers stand out when making a determination of which player would be better for New York in 2014 and beyond: position and versatility.

If Granderson was still considered a center fielder by the Yankees, something Beltran hasn’t been for years, he would clearly rate higher on any priority list. Center fielders with 30-plus home run power are very, very hard to find. In fact, over the last decade only 16 center fielders have posted a 30-plus home run season. 

The only two to do it more than twice: Curtis Granderson and Carlos Beltran. 

Heading into 2014, both players must be evaluated as corner outfielders, not elite power-hitting center fielders.

Outside of leveling the playing field on defense, Beltran’s ability to switch-hit makes him a much, much more attractive fit for the New York offense. Of the many problems for the 2013 New York Yankees, there was a noticeable lack of matchup nightmares throughout their lineup.

Since the mid-’90s, the Yankees lineup has notoriously been difficult to pitch against due to hitters’ patience and the Yankees’ ability to employ switch-hitters to cause puzzles for late-game bullpen management. From Bernie Williams to Jorge Posada to Chili Davis to Tim Raines, the Yankees’ starting lineup and bench seemed to always be littered with hitters with the ability to leave opposing managers in a bind.

As late as 2009, during New York’s last World Series season, that strategy was still very much a part of their arsenal. Between Mark Teixeira, Jorge Posada, Melky Cabrera and Nick Swisher, switch-hitters made 2,292 plate appearances for the 2009 Yankees. In 2013, that number wilted to 176. The switch-hitter who led New York in plate appearances this season: Zoilo Almonte.

For his career, Beltran is a .289/.355/.523 hitter against right-handed pitching. Meanwhile, Granderson, has hit .226/.295/.409 in lefty vs. lefty duels. Simply swapping Beltran for Granderson when the opposition starts a left-handed pitcher would be the equivalent of replacing David Wright (.888 career OPS) with Juan Pierre (.704 career OPS). The difference is stark.

The end result between Carlos Beltran and Curtis Granderson, when looking at only some numbers, isn’t huge, but when factoring in park effects, current position status and versatility, a clear picture forms: Beltran’s arrival in New York would enhance the Yankees’ offense more than Granderson.  

Additionally, the specter of Beltran’s postseason greatness can be added to the equation, but New York first needs to focus on getting back to October before worrying about how their players will perform there.

There’s little doubt, unless you’re talking to a Mets fan holding a 2006 NLCS grudge, about Beltran’s ability to perform on the big stage. But it’s his ability to help the Yankees’ offense get there that makes him a better fit than Granderson. 

Time will tell if the Yankees pursue Beltran, let Granderson walk or offer their current player the $14.1 million qualifying offer (with the ability to trade him on that one-year deal). 

The objective of any offseason is to enhance the product on the field for the upcoming campaign. Swapping Carlos Beltran for Curtis Granderson would do just that for the New York Yankees.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted.

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When the Detroit Tigers take the field at Comerica Park for Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Tuesday afternoon, they won’t just facing Oakland and the specter of elimination, they’ll be staring an unflattering history in the face.

Since 1972, Detroit has eventually succumbed to elimination in the postseason every single time they’ve faced it.

Starting with the 1972 ALCS against, ironically, Oakland, the 1987 ALCS against Minnesota, the 2006 World Series with St. Louis, the 2012 ALCS in Texas and last October’s World Series with San Francisco, the Tigers have made a habit of falling short in comeback attempts.

If the 2013 ALDS is to be different, they’ll need to follow the following steps on the path to a major ALDS comeback.

1. Continue to receive major October moments from Doug Fister

During Monday afternoon’s Game 3 loss to Oakland, it became clear that the Tigers were going to face a must win in Game 4.

Their reluctance to skip fourth starter Doug Fister in favor of going back to AL Cy Young candidate Max Scherzer seemed odd, especially in light of Los Angeles, playing with a lead in the NLDS, skipping their fourth starter to give the ball to Clayton Kershaw on Monday night.

Of course, not many fourth starters have postseason numbers like Doug Fister. In 36.1 career postseason innings as a member of the Tigers staff, Fister, the tall, lanky right-hander, has posted a 2.97 ERA.

While Fister won’t overpower hitters like Scherzer or Justin Verlander, he has the ability to generate outs on the ground, keep the ball out of the air, and, most importantly, keep the team in the game.

As Jim Leyland told Paul Hagen of MLB.com, the team has confidence he will get the job done in this spot and get the ball to Scherzer, and possibly Verlander out of the pen, in a deciding Game 5.

“He’s one of our four,” Jim Leyland said. “He’s a competitor. He keeps the infielders and outfielders on their toes because he works fast. He’s a terrific fielder. He has movement and his forte is to make them miss hit the ball. He makes them mis-hit the ball, put it in play and makes the defense work.”

2. Find the offensive magic

As I wrote in the aftermath of Monday’s Game 3 loss, the Tigers offense has disappeared.

Due to the zapped power of Miguel Cabrera and Austin Jackson’s speed and BABIP (batting average on balls in play) prowess rendered useless due to high strikeout numbers, Detroit can’t seem to string together hits or walks to score runs.

Even if Fister brings his best stuff, he’s unlikely to shut out an Athletics offense that cranked three home runs off Game 3 starter Anibal Sanchez on Monday.

Detroit will need to score, preferably early, to settle Fister into a groove with a lead and get the home crowd fired up. If the Tigers can continue their short, but effective, history against Athletics Game 4 starter Dan Straily, they should do just that.

Although Straily has only made 34 career major league starts since the beginning of 2012, current Tigers hitters have 33 career plate appearances against him. Combined, they’ve hit him hard.

As the following chart shows, Torii Hunter leads the charge and is key to knocking around Straily early and often in Game 4. 

3. Play with a sense of urgency

As we saw from the Rays and Cardinals on Monday, as well as the Braves (until Fredi Gonzalez refused to use the best closer in the world with the lead in Los Angeles), elimination games can bring out the best in teams in October. There is no tomorrow for the Detroit Tigers in the sense of 2013, but the narrative may extend further than that.

While the Tigers aren’t likely to morph into a bad team in 2014, their championship window could be closing sooner than you think. After qualifying for the ALCS in 2011 and World Series in 2012, it’s time for Detroit to get over the hump and host a parade in a city that could desperately use one.

The average age of Detroit’s position players in 2013 was 30.1.

Miguel Cabrera may continue to hit at a blistering pace for another two or three seasons, but remember Albert Pujols, the former “best hitter alive,” had his last truly great year (173 OPS+) at the age of 30. In 2014, Cabrera will be 31.

Torii Hunter, the aforementioned Dan Straily killer, is 37. Victor Martinez is 34. Jhonny Peralata, fresh off a 50-game suspension in connection with the Biogenesis scandal, is a 31-year-old middle infielder heading for free agency.

Max Scherzer, likely headed for an AL Cy Young, is a free agent after the 2014 season (via Cot’s Baseball Contracts). If he posts another year close to his 2012-2013 form (10.5 K/9, 128 ERA+), the 28-year-old right-hander could price himself out of the Tigers budget, especially after their front office guaranteed Justin Verlander $160 million from 2014-2019.

If the team doesn’t make a single offseason addition, they would still be a good pick to win the AL Central and compete for a title in 2014, but the clock is ticking in Detroit.

If 2014 became an injury-plagued or down year for some older players, an era of Tigers baseball could easily come and go without a World Series title.

Now or never feels extreme, but the Tigers need to play like it to necessitate a comeback in the ALDS.

What is the key to fueling a Detroit comeback in the ALDS?

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