Kuzul

The past two days were extremely busy at the winter meetings, highlighted by some shocking developments.  Let’s take a look at everything that happened (for my thoughts on Days 1 & 2, click here and here): 

The Boston Red Sox Signed OF Carl Crawford

Talk about the rich getting richer.  All indications had been that Crawford was headed out to Los Angeles before the Red Sox swooped in with a seven-year, $142 million deal.  It is hard to figure exactly where Crawford fits into the lineup, though you have to figure he’ll hit either third or sixth at this point.

The bottom line is that the Red Sox lineup got so much deeper with the addition of Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez.  Either way, the top six in the lineup features Crawford, Gonzalez, Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz.  You will be hard-pressed to find a group with that much talent and that much potential to score runs.  All of their stocks went up just a little bit.

However, if Crawford does ultimately hit sixth you have to think that at least a little of his value will be lost.  He needs to be hitting in front of Gonzalez, Youkilis and Ortiz, where he will be able to utilize his speed and score a significant number of runs.  I have to believe the Red Sox will hit him third, but time will tell. 

The Baltimore Orioles Signed P Koji Uehara

When Alfredo Simon and Michael Gonzalez went down with injuries, the Orioles turned to Uehara to close out games and he responded with flying colors.  He posted a 2.86 ERA and 0.95 WHIP, showing great strikeout potential (11.25 K/9) and impeccable control (1.02 BB/9).  It’s hard to imagine him maintaining those types of numbers, but given the unknown in the Orioles bullpen he will likely get an opportunity to close once again. 

The strikeouts will likely fall.  The walks will probably rise slightly.  Still, he posted his success with a .317 BABIP, so a little more luck and the numbers would still be solid.  He’ll be worth owning in all formats, though it’s hard to call him a lock to close for the entire year.

The Padres Acquired SS Jason Bartlett from the Tampa Bay Rays for P Adam Russell and P Cesar Ramos

The Rays get two bullpen arms, something they desperately needed.  Both pitchers will likely fill a middle relief role, however, so don’t look for them to have much value.

Bartlett is a nice player, but his fantasy appeal is limited.  He offers no power (29 career HR in 2,501 AB despite hitting 14 in ‘09 alone) and moving to San Diego, he’s going to have even less.  There’s a little bit of speed there, but you are probably talking about 20 SB with little upside in runs and average.  He’s a low-end option, at best, especially in what figures to be a low-powered offense. 

The Phillies Signed P Dennys Reyes

The Phillies get their left-handed reliever.  That’s good for them, but it is meaningless to fantasy owners.

The Royals Signed OF Melky Cabrera

Now things get interesting in Kansas City.  You would have thought that they’d want to give their youngsters an opportunity, like letting Jarrod Dyson be a spark plug at the top of the order and in center field.  Instead they bring in an outfielder who brings no power and no speed.  Hopefully he’s going to be the fourth outfielder for the Royals and not take at-bats from someone who could be useful.

The Chicago White Sox Signed 1B Paul Konerko

His value would plummet if he left Chicago, though you have to expect a regression anyway.  He posted a 19.5 percent HR/FB rate and a .326 BABIP, two numbers that could fall in 2011.  He’s going to be usable for sure, but we’ll go into much more detail in the near future.

The Seattle Mariners Signed DH Jack Cust

He’s one of those potential high power, low average guys.  Of course, his HR/FB has fallen for four straight years, from 31.7 percent in 2007 to 14.9 percent in 2010.  If he’s not going to hit over 30 HR, he’s not going to have any value.

The Kansas City Royals Signed OF Jeff Franceour

I feel like he has been rumored to be going to the Royals for the better part of a year, but he finally landed there.  He’s a streaky hitter and really doesn’t bring enough in the power, speed or average department to justify trusting him.  However, when he gets hot, he has value.  Hitting in the middle of the Royals lineup, he could be worth using in five-outfielder formats at times.  Keep an eye on him, but don’t consider him a regular.

The Milwaukee Brewers Signed C Will Nieves

He’ll be a backup for the Brewers and as a career .227 hitter with five HR in 701 AB—you can easily forget him.

The Atlanta Braves Signed P George Sherrill

He was once a closer, but those duties will likely fall to Jonny Venters, Craig Kimbrel or a combination of the two.  There’s little chance that he gets opportunities for saves, so he’s not going to have value to fantasy owners.  Obviously, if something changes you’ll want to scoop him up off waivers, but for now he can be ignored.

The Cincinnati Reds Signed INF Miguel Cairo

He’s a utility infielder, meaning his value is nil.

The Los Angeles Dodgers Signed C Dioner Navarro

Navarro could share time with Rod Barajas to replace the departed Russell Martin behind the plate.  There was a time that people thought Navarro could develop into a must-use option, but he’s never hit more than nine home runs in a season and sports a career .249 average.  Maybe he finally puts it together, but even those in two-catcher formats can ignore him for now.

The New York Mets Signed P Boof Bonser

At this point Bonser figures to be organizational depth and nothing else.  He’s not worth worrying about.

The Arizona Diamondbacks Signed P Mike Hampton

Remember when he actually was fantasy viable?  Not anymore.

The Seattle Mariners Signed C Miguel Olivo

He certainly has power, consistently posting a HR/FB of 12 percent, leading to 12-16 HR a season (outside of his 23 HR breakout in 2009).  He’s not going to hit for an extremely high average, though then again most catchers aren’t going to.  Considering he figures to get regular at-bats (the only other option they have is Adam Moore right now), who should be worth considering in two-catcher formats.  As far as where he sits in the rankings, we’ll address that soon enough.

The Baltimore Orioles Acquired SS J.J. Hardy and INF Brendan Harris from the Minnesota Twins for P Brett Jacobson and P Jim Hoey

Hardy’s one and only season in Minnesota did not go as planned, hitting .268 with six HR and 38 RBI.  He still holds significant upside, as it wasn’t long ago that he hit 50 HR over two seasons with the Brewers.  As a late-round flier, he’s well worth the risk.  It certainly wouldn’t be a surprise to see him hit in the 18-HR range.

It appears that the Twins are prepared to hand everyday at-bats to Alexi Casilla.  He has some speed, but no power and likely is only going to hold value in the deepest of formats.

The Houston Astros Signed P Ryan Rowland-Smith

He’ll likely battle for the fifth starters spot, but with a career 5.46 K/9, he’s not going to hold much value.

What are your thoughts on these moves?  Who is the biggest winner?  Who are you now targeting?

Make sure to check out our early 2011 rankings:

• Top 15 Catchers
• Top 15 First Basemen
• Top 15 Second Basemen
• Top 15 Third Basemen
• Top 15 Shortstops
• Top 20 Starting Pitchers
• 2011 Fantasy Draft First Round Breakdown

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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A year ago, as the story goes, Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik had a chat with his counterpart from the Phillies in the airport on his way home from these winter meetings. The result was Cliff Lee coming to Seattle via trade.

It doesn’t appear any splash of that magnitude is in the cards this go around, as the meetings wrap up and the Mariners—while linked to many rumors—leave as minor players. For the second consecutive year the club has been a bargain bin shopper, looking for low risk-high upside players, as they have another year before significant payroll relief.

Here’s a look at the moves they were, or are rumored to be, involved in.

C Miguel Olivo signed a two-year $7 million contract

This was simply not a great move. Generally, I trust Jack Zduriencik and his scouting team. I’m having a rough time with this one, though. Olivo played for the Mariners once, you may recall. He came over from Chicago in the Freddy Garcia trade. Safeco is not nice to right-handed pull hitters, and Olivo was no exception.

His numbers have improved a bit, but if you look at the splits, there’s no question Coors Field was a contributor. At home in Colorado, he hit a respectable 318/.349/.556 but on the road a laughable .211/.276/.322.

Read those road numbers again and try not to cringe. That the Mariners added a second year makes this possibly the worst move of the Zduriencik era (TBD: depends on how Morrow turns out in Toronto). Though, it was an area of need, and what we may not know is that the front office has all but given up on Adam Moore and none of the other free agents bit.

Here is one positive way to look at this: Seemingly every year some playoff contending team needs a fill in for their injured catcher. I don’t think Jack is an idiot. I could easily see Olivo spun into some interesting prospect(s) at the trade deadline. Nothing premium, but this organization needs all the talent it can find.

DH Jack Cust signed a one-year $2.5 million contract

Okay, I know your initial thought. But we have to remember that the Mariners are bargain shopping again this year waiting for salary relief in 2011. While the Olivo deal doesn’t fit well into that plan, this one does. Cust is a left-hander with some pop, and could see a boost from Safeco Field.

Though, he does have much of his power to left-center, which is why right-handers generally do poor here. So, I expect this to be a push as far as home park help/hurt, but the price doesn’t kill the budget.

I initially thought this would lead to a Milton Bradley DFA, but it appears the club is ready to keep him on board and split time at DH and left field between the two veterans and Michael Saunders.

RP Jose Flores acquired form Cleveland Indians in Rule 5 Draft

There isn’t much to say here. This is likely one of those guys that will be returned at the end of spring training. Flores is a guy who sits in the low to mid 90s with good command, with no secondary pitches behind his fastball and has only played as high as A ball. You never know, I guess. But, I’m again left scratching my head at the decisions made by a scouting organization I highly respect.

Rumor: M’s interested in Cleveland INF Luis Valbuena

Yes, that Luis Valbuena. As you likely recall, the Mariners sent Valbuena to the Tribe as part of the three team trade that netted them Franklin Gutierrez and sent JJ Putz to the Mets. It was a home run of a trade, and with Valbuena struggling last year it is possible they could get him back for something small in return.

No real details of a possible proposal have come out, and it may be that he was just a target of the front office. That would be strange if the case, since generally the Mariners are a very tight lipped front office and leaks often come from companion teams in trade talks. So, it may have at least been floated to the Indians.

Valbuena is still young, and has shown he has nothing to prove at AAA. It’s possible he ends up as one of those AAAA type guys who never transitions to the majors well, but the Mariners are a team that can fit him into their current roster. He can man second base until Ackley is ready, then slide to shortstop when Jack Wilson has his annual injury.

International: SS Esteilon Peguero signs for $2.9 million

This was the fourth largest bonus ever given by the Mariners. Only Ackley, Ichiro and Jeff Clement have received higher bonuses. It was also the largest bonus given to any international signing this season, and one of the biggest ever.

I talked a little bit about the international signing process and what a gamble it is in this piece.

Cliff notes: You just don’t know. Some scouts project Peguero as a guy who will have to slide to second or third base. Jack Zduriencik says they still project him a a shortstop for now. But everyone seems to agree that he’ll hit. While probably not a big bopper, he could fill out his frame and be a nice gap doubles hitter. Remember, he’s 17.

What’s Next?

– The Mariners still need to figure out what they’re doing with Chone Figgins. They could use Josh Wilson at second base if they really want to move Figgins back to third (or if he demands). With Jose Lopez being traded to Colorado, it makes the most sense to move Figgins back there regardless. It’s not entirely impossible that Figgins is traded, but his contract puts the plausibility in question.

– Don’t write off the possibility of a secret squirrel Zduriencik trade in the next few days. This team still needs to be set up for 2012. They’ll have more money next year, and if a Justin Upton type scenario pops up, and the price is right, it could happen.

– What to do with Cust/Bradley/Saunders. If Saunders isn’t in a trade package, I don’t know what happens here. Bradley will surely be on the DL at least once this season and his contract is the reason he’s here in the first place. I suppose it’s better than Griffey/Sweeney/Bradley, but the problem is still there.

There’s still a lot of work to make this roster into one that doesn’t lose 100 games. They should get some help from bounce back seasons from some of the guys. There’s just no way that many players have the worst year of their career again.

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The winter meetings have seen a lot of action so far.

Carl Crawford signed with the Boston Red Sox yesterday for seven years and 142 million dollars. This was in the wake of the huge contract given to Jayson Werth a week earlier from the Washington Nationals.

After the top two hitters on the market have signed, the remaining players have a starting point in negotiations and there are still plenty of quality hitters remaining for teams looking to fill out their lineups.

Here are the top 20 hitters remaining.

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What a time for the Internet connection to go on the fritz. Really, unnamed Internet service provider, in the middle of the winter meetings? During the offseason, from Thanksgiving to Christmas is the equivalent of October in-season.

But in thinking about it, I am glad that I couldn’t log on for the last 24 hours. I needed that time to sit back and take it all in. Let it marinate, so to speak, and reflect upon what this means for the Monopoly money world that is Major League Baseball.

Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez both headed to the Fens to showcase their talents in Boston Red Sox uniforms. Just take a second here. It has been almost a full day and yet I still find myself not quite grasping the magnitude of what has transpired. My friend Murph, a die-hard Sox fan, immediately threw up a Facebook posting saying, “I give you the new, Evil Empire.”

When taking into account the shear magnitude of the cash involved in both of these deals, he may very well have a point. For the Red Sox this is like when C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira all signed with the Bronx Bombers. The end result was a championship ring tough, so can you blame any team for trying to better their club. As long as no salary cap exists then as an organization you’ve got to keep up with the Joneses.

So let’s assume that we do now have two “Evil Empires”. We will call one the “Original Evil Empire” and we will call the other the “New Kids on the Block” (only seems appropriate considering Jordan, Jonathan, Joey, Donny and Danny were assembled in Beantown).

Let us now talk a bit about these two superpowers. Is there any possible way that the Yankees can crawl out from under the surprising and indescribably large offseason shadow that the Red Sox have created? The Sox are like the Visitors from V. They are the mother ship that is just sitting over top of the Bronx right now blocking out the sun.

The Yankees are hoping that Cliff Lee can be the Marc Singer of their resistance (Yep, I took it all the way back to 1984. The original V the Final Battle television miniseries.) The problem for New York however is two-fold.

Number one is the fact that Mr. Lee has suitors from around the league. Texas, the Nationals and the Yankees are all gunning for the hurler, and with the Angels losing out on Carl Crawford they are throwing their halo into the mix as well.

And B) I don’t think Cliff Lee is big enough all by himself to counter the duo of Gonzalez and Crawford. If we are using the amount of money one garners as a judge to who is the best in their respective position, Crawford just received an obscene amount of money that would make him the highest paid outfielder in the league, while the Yankees latest offer to Lee wouldn’t even make him the highest paid pitcher on their team. Lee or no Lee, it seems to me that the Red Sox shadow remains.

So baseball fans get ready for the inevitable barrage of predictions sure to circulate for the next several months about how the Red Sox are now the favorites to win not only the AL East but also the World Series.

To that end, I suggest we not forget about a few other teams that might have something to say about such a prediction. Only one thing is for sure, Tampa Bay is not one of them. Poor Evan Longoria.

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Since signing Carl Crawford to a seven-year deal worth $142 million, last the Boston Red Sox have been the talk of the town. This massive signing comes on the heels of yet another blockbuster deal – one that sent Adrian Gonzalez to Boston in exchange for a trio of top prospects. 

The addition of these two all-star players to an offense that ranked second in runs last season makes Boston one of the top offenses in baseball. But are they the best?

Here we take the time to examine all 30 line-ups based on opening day projections. Although it is impossible to compare an NL team to their AL counterpart, please enjoy this list of the MLB’s top offensive line-ups.

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While the Phillies were unable to conjure a tidal wave during the Winter Meetings this year, they did make a few smaller splashes.  Free-agent left-handed reliever Dennys Reyes, 33, has been signed to a one-year, $1.25 million dollar contract, pending a physical.  Reyes is a 14-year, well-traveled veteran that now joins his 11th major league club.

While the signing is relatively small in terms of impact, Reyes is anything but small.  This six-foot, 3-inch 250 pound reliever goes by the nickname, “The Big Sweat.”  In other words, he will add both depth and width to the bullpen. 

On the other end of the size spectrum, the Phillies also picked up a five-foot, nine-inch, 145 pound infielder from the Nationals AAA system in the Rule 5 Draft.  Michael Martinez, 28, had better watch himself around Reyes who is liable to mistake him for dinner.

Martinez’s small size has made him a versatile player who can handle both shortstop and second base as well as the occasional stop in centerfield.  He hit a combined .272 with 21 doubles, six triples, 11 home runs, 56 RBI’s and a .408 slugging percentage in 522 plate appearances with Double-A Harrisburg and AAA Syracuse.

When asked about the pick-up of Martinez, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. joked, “We figured with this Rule 5 Draft we would get back at the Nationals. They got Werth. We’ll take Martinez and call it even.”  While the attempt at humor is admirable, Amaro should probably not quit his day job.

The Phillies picked up a few other players in the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft: Colorado outfielder Chris Frey and Oakland righty Justin Friend.  While these are not real impact moves, it does give the Phillies a little more depth in the minor league system.

Overall, the Phillies had a quiet week at the Winter Meetings.  However, with rumors flying about a possible deal for the Royals righty Zach Greinke, the Phillies may still have a big move on the horizon.

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Last night the Boston Red Sox made their second major move of this off-season by signing former Rays OF Carl Crawford to a 7-year deal worth $142 million. The 29-year old Crawford will now join All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez in a potent Red Sox line-up that could threaten the Yankees stranglehold over the AL East.

The signing is a crushing blow to the Angles who were thought by many to be the front-runner for Crawford’s services. Still, many of the big names free agents remain on the market including Cliff Lee, Adrian Beltre, Rafael Soriano, and Manny Ramirez.

Moreover, the Padres blockbuster deal of Adrian Gonzalez may not be the only big-time trade this off-season. Amongst the names being thrown around are Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza and 2009 Cy Young Winner Zack Greinke.

What’s the latest on off-season player movement? Where will the remaining free agents land? Read on to find out.

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In the wake of Red Sox GM Theo Epstein channeling his inner Daniel Snyder and finally winning an off-season I find it interesting how investing somewhere around $300 million in your offense can make your fans forget what the real problem was last year-pitching and defense.  

While it’s exciting to see the likes of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez being brought to Boston—two players I’ve personally speculated for the last two seasons about seeing here-their presence does nothing to solve the real problems of last season-pitching.

Following the addition of John Lackey last off-season, creating what was supposed to be one of the strongest 1-2-3 punches in the league in terms of starting pitching, the Red Sox saw a decline from the prior season in the following statistical categories: Runs and runs allowed per game, complete games, shutouts, walks issued, and strikeouts.  To be fair another category also increased from ’09 to ’10; errors, which increased by 45 over the season before last.

What’s truly scary about the addition of Gonzalez and Crawford is the perception that offense was the problem in Boston last season, when in fact not much could be further from the truth. In the AL last season the Red Sox ranked second in runs scored, home runs, and RBI’s, trailing only the Yankees in runs and RBI’s and the Blue Jays in home runs.

While the best hope for a return to glory might seem to be hoping that John Lackey improves upon the third lowest ERA he’s ever posted (4.44), or that Josh Beckett can get away from posting the lowest strikeout total in a season since 2002 when he was 22 and only won 6 games for the Marlins, adding players of the caliber of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford that can help all over the field-and not just in the batter’s box-certainly can’t hurt.  

Of course neither can replacing Adrian Beltre and his team’s second worst 19 errors essentially with Gonzalez -who has posted double digits in errors in a season only once-probably won’t hurt either as the defensive prowess Beltre was supposed to bring to Boston never really materialized.

At the end of the day I think I speak for all Boston fans when I say: Welcome to Boston Carl and Adrian, it’s great to have you here.  Just so long as those same Boston fans don’t forget where our actual problems were last year…

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The Red Sox suffered a plethora of injuries last season and missed the playoffs. Attendance slumped and advertising dollars dried up. Meanwhile, the Patriots are poised to make a run deep into the postseason, the Celtics added Shaquille O’Neal and appear ready to challenge the Lakers for the NBA crown and the Bruins look like a Stanley Cup contender. Some pundits started saying the Pats had surpassed the Sox in popularity and conjectured The Olde Towne Team’s sellout streak could be on the line.

And then New England Sports Ventures purchased an English soccer team and Red Sox Nation started getting restless. The Red Sox ownership knew they had to do something…and do something they did!

In the wake of acquiring first baseman Adrian Gonzalez from the San Diego Padres and then reaching an understanding with him on a seven-year, $154 million contract extension that (reportedly) will be finalized after Opening Day, the Red Sox have struck again! It’s being reported that the Red Sox have reached an agreement with the top position player in this year’s free-agent class, agreeing to a contract with outfielder Carl Crawford that will pay him $142 million over seven years—the 10th largest deal in big-league history.

The acquisitions of Gonzalez and Crawford, as well as the pending addition of one or two relievers, will undoubtedly make the Red Sox the prohibitive favorites in the AL East heading into the 2011 season—even if the Yankees land southpaw Cliff Lee.

Red Sox Nation will be in a frenzy! Talk about an early Christmas present…“Christmas At Fenway” will be a madhouse on Saturday!

Crawford, 29, is a four-time All-Star who hit .307 this year, setting career highs in home runs (19) and RBI (90). He also swiped 47 bases, led the AL in triples (13) and won his first Gold Glove. As recently as this afternoon, he had been rumored to be heading to Los Angeles to join close friend Torii Hunter in the Angels outfield. But that all changed late this afternoon and early this evening.

The Red Sox have simultaneously added an electric player while striking a serious blow to the offseason plans of the NY Yankees, who were rumored to be interested in signing pitcher Cliff Lee and Crawford. Red Sox Nation feared the Yankees might get both of their primary targets, but with Crawford coming to Boston and Lee weighing offers from both New York and the Texas Rangers; it now seems possible the Evil Empire will get neither.

Pinch me, I MUST BE DREAMING!

With this deal, Crawford becomes the highest-paid outfielder in baseball history…he will earn $16 million more over seven years than Jayson Werth, who signed a contract last week with the Washington Nationals. Crawford’s contract reportedly includes a partial no-trade protection.

He is generally considered the best defensive left fielder in the game and his ability to cover ground within the small spaces of Fenway Park was something the Red Sox prized as well. Last month, manager Terry Francona called Crawford a “game changer,” saying, “He’s that guy that can change a game defensively, offensively. When he gets on base, he gives you a headache.”

Somehow, I have a feeling Hank Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman have a SERIOUS migraine headache of their own right about now. Isn’t it delightful?

The Largest Contracts in MLB History

Alex Rodriguez, $275 million

Alex Rodriguez, $252 million

Derek Jeter, $189 million

Joe Mauer, $184 million

Mark Teixeira, $180 million

CC Sabathia, $161 million

Manny Ramirez, $160 million

Troy Tulowitzki, $157.75 million

Miguel Cabrera, $152.3 million

Carl Crawford, $142 million

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Just moments ago it was announced Theo Epstein pulled another fast one on Red Sox Nation by signing Carl Crawford to a seven year, $142 million deal.  The deal comes as a relative surprise since, even though the Red Sox loved what Crawford brings to the table, they already acquired the big time left handed bat (Adrian Gonzalez) and historically do not go on these Yankee-like spending sprees.  Regardless the Red Sox front office has responded to last seasons disappointing third place finish, much like the New York Yankees prior to the 2009 season, by making some franchise altering moves.

Prior to last weekend many in Red Sox fans were sensing doom and gloom, especially when it became known the Yankees could be going after Cliff Lee AND Carl Crawford.  However, after the trade for Adrian Gonzalez the fans’ appetite for off season drama was filled, at least for a day.  It seemed like mere minutes after Gonzalez press conference that everyone wanted to know what Theo Epstein had planned next.  Many were looking at the bullpen (including myself), a cheaper right handed leftfielder, such as Magglio Ordonez or Josh Willingham, but no one really expected this.  Carl Crawford signing was merely an awesome idea to many Red Sox fans, considering what his price would be after Jayson Werth literally was signed for twice his worth, but never the less, Theo Epstein delivered.  

Some may say this deal is not smart for a player whose game is predicated  on speed but the front office has proven it is willing to spend on a marquee free agent (John Lackey does not count) and stay competitive in an ever improving division.  Regardless of how Crawford and Gonzalez perform this season no one can say the Red Sox did not try to become a World Series contender for years to come.

However, let’s just assume Crawford and Gonzalez perform as they are expected to and imagine a lineup like this:

1. Ellsbury

2. Pedroia

3.Gonzalez

4. Youkilis

5. Crawford

6. Ortiz

7. Scutaro/Lowrie 

8. Saltalamacchia

9. Drew

That is a lineup with 105 wins written on it.  Obviously the pitching will have a lot to say about that any wins, but the point is it is an extremely potent lineup.  

Some may wonder as to why Crawford, known for his speed, is in a power slot like the fifth spot, but it seems fitting since he does not want to lead off, Pedroia is the number two hitter, period, and Gonzalez and Youkilis have more power.  Plus with Drew batting ninth, the Red Sox could have three lead off type hitters (Drew is considered a lead off hitter because of his on-base percentage abilities) in each third of the lineup.  

Does Carl Crawford signing instantly mean this team should be pre-ordering rings?  Absolutely not.  I still maintain the biggest key to this team’s success is the bullpen, specifically Jonathan Papelbon having a bounce back year, and if Josh Beckett and John Lackey gain regain at least a shadow of themselves.  Either way Theo Epstein and the Red Sox brass have provided the most anticipation for Opening Day since 2004. 

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