The Red Sox needed to do something dramatic this offseason to stop their slide in the AL East and to stem the growing disinterest of those folks who call themselves members of Red Sox Nation, but who are not invested in the team’s fortunes with their heart and soul. They have done that and then some.
The first week of December 2010 will be long remembered by those of us who are legitimately considered to be “diehards.” But the fact of the matter is the acquisitions of Gonzalez and Crawford were not intended to please us, because we will go to the park and tune in NESN regardless of the team’s success (or the lack thereof).
This week’s acquisitions were designed to appease the growing indifference of the fringe members of The Nation—and they are a significant proportion of those who comprise Red Sox Nation. It is now impossible to imagine fans staying away from Fenway Park this season. Likewise, it is hard to imagine television and radio ratings remaining at their 2010 levels, which were half of what they were just a couple of years ago.
In essence, the Gonzalez and Crawford acquisitions were a big bucket of cold water thrown across the face of a slumbering fan base…they are now wide awake and will be chomping at the bit to buy their early-season tickets at “XMAS at Fenway” on Saturday.
But while Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford will replace Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez in the lineup, offense was NOT the Red Sox problem in 2010…three-fifths of the rotation underperformed and the majority of the bullpen (with the notable exception of Daniel Bard) imploded.
So while this week’s transactions were great for headlines, they will not necessarily lead to more wins…it is what happens from here that will help to push the Red Sox towards 100 wins in 2011.
It has been assumed the Red Sox will add at least two relievers during the offseason—a righty and a lefty—but that they wouldn’t entertain the thought of signing a Type A free agent because they would not want to surrender a first-round draft pick in exchange for a reliever, no matter how good he is. The thinking was the team would limit itself to Type B free agent because he would cost a second-round pick…but the signing of Carl Crawford has changed all of that.
Crawford was the highest-rated free agent in this year’s class. As a result of his signing, the Red Sox will surrender their first-round pick to the Rays. Thus, any additional Type A or Type B free agents the Red Sox sign will only cost the organization one additional draft pick, their second-rounder.
The picks they will receive for losing their own free agents are protected; therefore, the first-round picks they will receive for Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez, and the second-round pick they will receive for Felipe Lopez, are theirs no matter what happens. Even if the Sox should forfeit both of their own picks in the first two rounds, they will have five of the first 50 picks (+/-) in the draft as a result of the departures of Mssrs. Beltre, Martinez and Lopez.
So the free agent landscape has changed dramatically, as the signing of a Type A free agent will cost only their second-round pick, which has significantly less value than a first-round pick. Thus, relievers Grant Balfour and Scott Downs are suddenly in play. While we have no idea of the organization’s interest (or lack thereof) in Balfour, we know with certainty that the front office is enamored with Downs.
Since the southpaw’s market has been depressed by the free agent compensation (first-round pick), he will cost the signing team, and since that is no longer an issue for the Red Sox, it seems inevitable the Red Sox and Downs will get together on a two- or three-year deal. The same logic applies to the availability of Balfour (if the Red Sox have interest).
Since the Yankees were one of the teams who were also interested in signing Downs, bringing the lefty on board will be another shot across the bow of the reeling Yankees.
In consideration of all of the above, it would be very surprising of the Red Sox don’t have Downs under contract by the middle of next week.
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Several published reports indicate the Red Sox have made an offer to free agent catcher Russell Martin, who was non-tendered by the LA Dodgers last week. Martin, who was limited to just 89 games played last year, was an all-star in 2007 and 2008 and could push Jarrod Saltalamacchia to Pawtucket.
The catcher is originally from Quebec and wants to play in the northeast. The Red Sox will be competing with the NY Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays for his services.
It’s likely Martin will make a decision on his 2011 destination by the end of the weekend.
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