Red Sox Acquire Andrew Bailey

The Red Sox acquired Oakland closer Andrew Bailey in a trade the other day that also saw outfielder Josh Reddick and Oakland outfielder Ryan Sweeney change uniforms

Somewhere, Ryan Madson is bawling his eyes out.

The other day, the Red Sox finally made a move for a closer. They traded outfielder Josh Reddick along with prospects Raul Alcantra and Miles Head for Oakland closer Andrew Bailey and outfielder Ryan Sweeney. The move was first reported by ESPN's Buster Olney (Twitter link).

Well it's about damn time. I had a bad feeling the Sox were gonna go the closer by committee route and just use Melancon, who, let's face it, isn't about to be an AL East closer anytime soon. Bailey is a proven closer (he's done for more than one year) and is a two time all star, and figures to be the Sox closer for quite a while.

Despite his injury history, Bailey appears to be in perfect health and should be one of the last pieces that solidifies the bullpen. With Daniel Bard and possibly Alfredo Aceves heading to the starting rotation, the Sox needed to make this deal. And if you ask me, Billy Beane got his balls chopped off in this one.

Also, with the bullpen seemingly taken care of, the Red Sox are exploring every poswsible starting pitching option. They've expressed interest in free agents Roy Oswalt, Hiroki Kuroda, and Edwin Jackson, and have talked to the Cubs about Matt Garza. Lou Merloni thought of something brilliant in regards to Matt Garza. Swing a deal for him, but make Theo and co. let Cherington give up one less prospect in the deal as compensation for losing Theo (Twitter link). Awesome idea if you ask me. Having 3 top notch starters (Beckett, Lester, Garza), 1 starter on the cusp of being top notch (Buchholz) and then either Bard or Aceves would be a pretty good looking rotation on paper going into the year.

You can also expect the Sox to either make some sort of trade or a free agent signing to fill the right field hole, as Ryan Sweeney and Darnell MacDonald will absolutely not cut it.

Rangers Win Bidding for Yu Darvish

Widely considered to be the best pitcher in all of Japan,  Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish had his negotiating rights sold to the Texas Rangers from his Japanese League team, the Nippom Ham Fighters

Well, this is a bit surprising. Even though everyone in the baseball world expected the Jays to win the bidding for Darvish, the Rangers won instead, topping the Red Sox record bid for Dice-K ($51M posting fee) with a $51.7M bid. The Nippom Ham Fighters, Darvish's Japanese League team, accepted the bid late last night and immediately afterwards, the MLB announced that Texas had placed the winning bid. This was first reported by Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, and later confirmed by multiple other reporters. The Rangers now have until January 18 to hammer out a contract with Darvish.

Not like it matters, but I have quite a strong opinion when it comes to Japanese pitchers and the amount of money it costs to both win their negotiating rights and sign them to a a major league contract. I've been highly skeptical of Japanese pitchers for a couple years now, not only because of the Red Sox complete failure with Matsuzaka, but also the failures of former Yankees pitchers Chien Ming Wang and Kei Igawa. The style of play for pitchers in Japan is completely different than it is here in North America. Here, teams pitch guys until they hit their limit or until they start to lose the game. In Japan, they pitch guys until their arms fall off and, as we witnessed with Dice-K here in Boston, it doesn't matter what the count is, they always push it to 3-2 just for the thrill. It's extremely difficult for the pitchers to adapt to the style, and that causes problems and a lot of failures.

I also think that teams have to post far too much money just for the right to negotiate with the player and then have to dish out all star contracts to sign them. I personally think that all international players, not just Japanese players, should be treated as draftees/prospects. It shouldn't matter how highly touted they are, they're still coming to a completely different country with a completely different style of play. The bidding prices should be a hell of a lot lower than they currently are, and the actual contracts the players sign should be similar to those of players just drafted/being signed as prospects. They shouldn't even jump right into the major league either. If it were up to me, I would assign the player to my team's AA affiliate so he can start at an easier level and have an easier time transitioning to the style of play.

Anyways, good luck to Texas. Darvish is supposed to have some really good stuff, and I for one would actually like to see him become the ace he's supposed to become. I wonder if he throws the gyro ball.....

Red Sox Acquire Melancon, Sign Punto

Ben Cherington made his first trade as GM the other day, acquiring reliever Mark Melancon from Houston

Cherington has officially made his first trade as General Manager of the Red Sox, acquiring Houston closer Mark Melancon for shortstop Jed Lowrie and pitcher Kyle Weiland. The move is probably the first in a series of moves the team will make in order to solidify the bullpen. Melancon was pretty good for the lowly Astros last year, converting 20 out of 25 save opportunities while going 8-4 with an ERA of 2.78. Cherington has stated that he's comfortable with Melancon being the team's close next season, but multiple reports indicate that they are still pursuing Oakland closer Andrew Bailey, and Ken Rosenthal has said that they still can't be ruled out on free agent closer Ryan Madson.

I personally like the move. Melancon is only 26, is under team control through 2016 and isn't arbitration eligible until after 2013. I don't see him as an AL East closer, but this move definitely solidifies the late innings role, as he'll most likely take over the 7th inning role. Melancon has always had god numbers against righies, but he tends to struggle against lefties. So far, it seems like Cherington knows what he's doing. Building a bullpen isn;t an art, and it sure as hell isn't easy. Hell, the most succesful bullpens were built by teams who pretty much threw shit at the wall and prayed that it would stick (Prime Example: Tampa Bay)

Later that day, Cherington signed utility infielder Nick Punto to a two year, $3M contract. Punto wasn't signed for his bat though, thankfully. He has great defense at second base, shortstop, and third base. Also, from what I've heard, Punto is a great clubhouse guy that has been very well liked by the guys on every team he's played for. That's a quality that can't be overlooked, especially considering the clubhouse issues the Sox had last year. Cherington said of Punto, "He's a guy who understands his role on a winning team". That's actually really good, 'cause you can't be signing guys who feel like they're entitled to a starting job. Punto should help clubhouse chemistry, and he'll also split utility infield duties with current utility man Mike Aviles.

Top 10 Bruins Prospects

The Bruins roster, as it stands right now, is hands down one of the best in the league. But, that's where most people stop looking. Here, I give you guys a look into the future of the Bruins. The team's farm system is stockpiled with tremendous talent, ranging from players who have very real shots at cracking the NHL roster in the next couple years, to players who have very high potential that requires some time in Providence. The top 10 for this team is a very deep list, and it further proves that the Bruins are set to be a really tough team to play for quite a while.

1.Doug Hamilton (D, Niagara OHL)

• Drafted 9th Overall in 2011, Hamilton pretty much fell right into Chiarelli's lap. At 6'5, Hamilton is a fast skater for his size, and he uses both of those tools to his advantage. Even the slickest danglers struggle to get past this kid. He uses his size to his advantage as well, as he is fearless along the boards, in the corners, and both in front of and behind the net. His ability to clear players out of the crease is similar to current Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk, whose strength allows him to lay down destructive hits in open ice as well as in front of the net. Hamilton's offensive abilities are not to be doubted either. He has a complete cannon from the blue line and is also an effective passer, both in transition and in the zone, and looks to be useful as a powerplay weapon. Hamilton signed a three year entry level contract with the Bruins last month and will join the Providence squad upon conclusion of his junior season.
• Projection: No. 1 Shut Down Defenseman, 40+ Point Potential, Potential Future All Star

2. Ryan Spooner (F, Kingston OHL)

• Spooner may be small, but he's very crafty and very good with the puck. In three seasons split between the OHL's Peterborough Petes and Kingston Frontenacs, he has been a consistent point-per-game player. He possesses the ability to create space for himself using his elusive and pacing abilities. He has a bit of sniper and playmaker in him, but he isn't the type that you can classify as one or the other. In rookie games against the Islanders, he showcased his offensive abilities with a one timed slapshot, a deceptive wrister, and perfect tape to tape passes through heavy traffic, waiting until the very last second to get rid of the puck. His defensive game still needs some work, but he has made great strides since last year, and while he may never be a true two-way player, he may work his way onto a PK unit and score some shorthanders in the process. Spooner is very comfortable being a quarterback, both in full strength and on the powerplay, and isn't afraid to play along the half wall to create space for his teammates. He signed an entry level contract with the Bruins last spring and will join the Providence squad upon conclusion of his junior season.
• Projection: Good First Line Center/Winger, 70+ Point Potential, Destructive Powerplay Weapon)

3. Jared Knight (F, London OHL)

• Jared Knight is one of my favorite prospects. He plays a hard nosed, two way game that has earned him the respect of both Boston fans and well-respected media members. Knight has excellent straight line speed and a powerful shot, and he's definitely not afraid to drive straight to the net, with or without the puck. Jared not only has the physical tools to succeed, he has the mental toughness as well, with a great work ethic that will undoubtedly earn him a full time NHL job. He's a very good power forward, but don't be fooled, the kid can snipe as well. He has a hard shot with a very quick release that he is able to blow by even the best of goalies from mid and long range. What about his close range ability you ask? Just watch this video, and you'll see what the kid can do when he's coming down on the goalie.
• Projection: Second Line Scoring Power Forward, Excellent Two Way Player, Consistent 30 Goal Threat, Possible 40+ Goal Potential

4. Jordan Caron (F, Boston NHL)

• Caron isn't a guy you'll see on the highlight reels, but do not doubt him, he is a very good player. He isn't the fastest skater, but he has a high hockey IQ and he moves very efficiently and deliberately all around the ice. At 6'2 202 lbs, the kid is hard to knock off the puck, an advantage he always uses. He has good hands and good goal scoring touch, and is clearly the most NHL ready prospect in the Bruins' system. Caron likes to hang out right in front of the net, something that most fans remember as being Dr. Recchi's office, and he's not afraid to bang bodies when he gets the chance. When he gets a full time NHL job, he'll earn his keep as a two way player, similar to Patrice Bergeron in the fact that he's effective in all three zones, and that in itself will keep him in the league for a long time.
• Projection: Second Line Two Way Power Forward with Some Offesive Touch, 20 Goal Potential, May Top Off at 30 Goals.

5. Alexander Khokhlachev (F, Windsor OHL)

• Considered to be a second round steal, Khokhlachev made the jump from being one of the faces of Russia's MHL Junior League to excelling on the OHL's Windsor Spitfires, a team that has a history of producing top flight NHL talent, such as 2010 draftees Taylor Hall and Cam Fowler. After spending time in Minnesota with a skating coach, "Koko" returned to Boston  after a Development Camp that saw him worn out by the intense skating drills and excelled in Rookie Camp. Khokhlachev is an extremely deceptive skater, never taking a straight route and always moving in a snake like motion with the puck, constantly changing direction and never giving away his intentions. Unlike many Russian players, Khokhlachev has no problem battling it out in the corners and getting physical, and that combined with his high offensive talent makes him a very special player. His defensive game needs a lot of work though, as it isn't evena t a passable level yet, and that in itself could keep him in Providence for a while before he's called upon to walk through the Gahden doors. He's relentless in the corners and will do anything to spark some kind of offense. His mindset to never be denied the puck shows that his defensive game will get better with time, as he attacks the puck carrier over and over until he or one of his teammates has the puck on his stick. With the fact that he's about two or three years away from seriously competing for an NHL job, there are some concerns about him jumping ship to the highly lucrative Russian Professional League, the KHL, but "Koko" has been consistent in saying his one desire is to play in North America, which is a very good sign. You guys should be excited that this kid's in the system.
• Projection: First/Second Line Scoring Winger/Center, 80 Point Potential

6. Maxim Sauve (F, Providence AHL)

• Probably one of the fastest skaters in the Bruins' system, Sauve has the ability to blow by any defender without much effort. He has consistently been one of the best P-Bruins in regards to plus/minus, which shows his defensive ability that goes along side his offensive talent. He doesn't seem to be the type of player to win a third or fourth line NHL job, and that alone may keep him out of the NHL for a few years, so he'll have to continue to develop his gritty playing style if he wants to crack the Bruins' roster.
• Projection: Second Line Sniper With Good All Around Game, Point Potential Unknown

7. David Warsofsky (D, Providence AHL)

• At 5'8, Warsofsky is well below average NHL size, but don't let the kid fool you, he's got game. The former BU Terrier is tenacious, fast, and has what may be elite offensive skill. He's not the greatest defensively, but he's capable, and that's all due to his speed. When I say he's fast, I mean he's blazing fast. Not even the fastest of forwards can beat him. Of course, being 5'8 is quite a burden, but with a little coaching, some heavy lifting, and learning to use his body in leverage situations, the kid could very well crack the top 4 one day. Even if his defensive play goes nowhere from where it is now, he will always have an NHL job because his offensive abilities are just that good. Give the kid the puck and he immeiately takes charge, almost like it's second nature. His transition game is great, and he can either make the long pass from the defensive zone (kind of like everyone expected Kaberle to do last year) or just take it himself and beat everyone with his speed. On the powerplay, he does whatever he wants, and I mean that in a good way. He can set up a play with a pass, open up lanes with rotation, go all around the zone to look at his options, or just send a rocket down low to the net and set up a goal (did I mention he has a hell of a shot?)
• Projection: Top 4 Defenseman, Possibly Third Pairing, Dominant Powerplay Specialist

8. Ryan Button (D, Providence AHL)

• Button has all the skills to be a top flight puck moving defenseman. He's got speed, great passing, and he's not afraid to battle it out in the corners. There's just one problem. He never seems to put those tools to use in games. In the rookie games against the Islanders this fall, he played very conservatively, sticking to the safe D to D passes and hardly ever jumping into the play. If he can get everything together, he’ll be a good transitional defenseman. He stays calm under pressure, battles with all he has, and is able to make the big outlet pass or jump up into the rush. His skating is above average, possibly even better and it makes him difficult to beat on both ends of the ice. Button has a good shot, and looks at home on the powerplay, and could one day be a solid powerplay quarterback.
• Projection: 3-4 Puck Moving Defenseman, Possible Powerplay QB

9. Tommy Cross (D, Boston College Hockey East)

• BC captain Tommy Cross has all the tools to be a strong stay at home defenseman in the NHL. He has a high hockey IQ and a charismatic nature that makes it very possible he will one day wear a letter at the NHL level. The one problem that could derail the kid is the fact that he's got a knee like Marco Sturm. He's already had three knee surgeries and that has set him back from the rest of the 2007 draft class, but the fact that he's still on track is an accomplishment in itself. He's physical, reads the play well, and is pretty fast for a guy his size. He doesn't have the best transition game, but he can make a play under pressure and isn't afraid to take a hit to make something happen. He isn't the most physical guy you'll ever see, but when the opportunity presents itself he can lay down quite a hit. He isn't much of an offensive player, but his big shot makes him look perfectly in place on the powerplay, as it is usually low to the ice, frequently tippable, and often creates rebound opportunities. He'll jump into the rush if the opportunity presents itself, but he's more content falling back and trying to disrupt the play on the backend.
• Projection: Solid 4-6 Defenseman

10. Jamie Arniel (C, Providence AHL)

• Arniel is your typical third line player. He's gritty, tough, has some scoring touch, and is great defensively. He'll take one for the team, whether that means blocking a shot, taking a hit to move the puck/make something happen, or planting himself right in front of the net. He's a good faceoff guy and is always one of, if not the first in on the forecheck. His high goal totals are misleading though, as they come from his gritty and scrappy style of play. While he may not be the best player, the Bruins are still really high on him, probbaly because of his similarity to another organization favorite, Chris Kelly.
• Projection: Bottom 6 Checking Center With Some Scoring Touch

Honorable Mentions:

• Matt Bartkowski (D, Providence AHL)
• Colby Cohen (D, Providence AHL)
• Craig Cunningham (F, Providence AHL)
• Brian Ferlin (W, Cornell ECAC)
• Anthony Camara (W, Saginaw OHL)
• Zach Trotman (D, Lake Superior CCHA)

Chris Paul Traded to Lakers...Or Not

So last night reports came out of a three team deal between the Lakers, Rockets, and Hornets in which the Lakers would acquire PG Chris Paul, the Rockets would acquire F Pau Gasol, and the Hornets would acquire Lamar Odom, Kevin Martin, and others. Then, later on, Commissioner David Stern killed the deal, apparently caving in to pressure from the owners that the deal, on the heels of the lockout, would look pretty bad.

What it looks like to me is that this was a player orchestrated trade. By that, I mean it seems like this is Chris Paul  trying to get his way. If that's true and the deal hadn't been axed, that would just prove that the owners and the league are the same old pussies they have been for years and the players still had all the power. I don't care what the hell the reasoning was behind it, whether it was the teams not wanting larger markets poaching the stars of smaller markets or David Stern not liking Paul controlling exactly where he went like Carmelo did last year (all of those were reasons named by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports in his article on the deal that fell through). It's good to see that the owners have finally grown a pair and decided to step in and push Stern to veto this kind of deal. It's also nice because it means that Celtics have another chance to try and land Paul (Wojnarowski also says the Celtics have been relentless in attempting to acquire Paul)

The owners are right though, that trade went against every reason the owners pushed for a lockout and that kind of deal would've made it look like the players had neutered them yet again. The league seems to be heading in the right direction, but there's still a lot to be seen as to who has the power.

Chris Paul has just one thing to say on Twitter when the deal was axed. "WoW." (Link to the Tweet, couldn't find the actual Twitter link though.). No one cares what you have to say there Chris. Either play for New Orleans or let yourself get traded to wherever the hell New Orleans wants to send you and see how that works. If it doesn't work, hit free agency and take the offer that you want to take. That simple. It shouldn't be such a big deal. Jesus, these basketball players and their egos. They're probably the most annoying athletes on the planet.

Rumors From the Winter Meetings

So baseball's winter meetings are 3 days in, and there have been many, many rumors surrounding the Red Sox. Here's what you need to know:

• David Ortiz officially accepted arbitration and will be back for one more year at least. (Twitter link)
• WEEI's Alex Speier writes that the Red Sox have no plans to try and trade Carl Crawford this winter. This should come as no surprise, as nobody is going to want that contract after that kind of year.
• Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald tweets that the Sox didn't have "substantive conversations" with free agent lefty Erik Bedard before he signed with Pittsburgh. (Twitter link)
• The Red Sox appear to be in on free agent starter Hiroki Kuroda, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. (Twitter link)
• T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reported yesterday that the Red Sox and Rangers were discussing possible trades. The Sox like relievers Koji Uehara and Mark Lowe, while the Rangers seem to like Jed Lowrie.
• ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes says the Red Sox and White Sox met yesterday to discuss Chicago pitchers John Danks and Gavin Floyd. Danks is unlikely, as Chicago GM Kenny Williams is looking for a king's ransom for the guy. (Twitter link)
• The Red Sox are seen as a possible wild card bidder for Japanese ace Yu Darvish, as new manager Bobby Valentine "loves him" after watching him pitch during his tenure in Japan.
• SI's Jon Heyman says that the Red Sox don't seem too enthused by outfielder Carlos Beltran. (Twitter link)
• The Sox remain interested in free agent closer Ryan Madson, but aren't willing to give him crazy money, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Cafardo also says the Red Sox have taken many calls on shortstop Marco Scutaro but don't appear ready to commit to Jose Iglesias full time just yet. (Twitter link)
• Yesterday Peter Gammons tweeted that the Red Sox had made a trade offer to the Atheltics for closer Andrew Bailey and that it was being considered. WEEI's Alex Speier later tweeted that talks were not very far along, but the A's like Lars Anderson, Raul Alcantra, and Brandon Workman.
• Ben Cherington's comments the other day suggested that the Red Sox would not be bringing back Jason Varitek or Tim Wakefield, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.
• The Red Sox re-signed lefty Andrew Miller to a 1 year contract. Jon Morosi of FOX Sports was the first to break the news, and WEEI's Alex Speier filled in the salary details. Miller will make $1.04M on a non-guaranteed major league contract.
• Red Sox bench coach DeMarlo Hale won't be returning to the team next year, according to Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston. He's expected to take a job within the Orioles organization.

Weekend Roundup

It's that time again! Weekend roundup! I know you guys just love these posts (no joke, I can see these get the most hits) so I'm gonna keep 'em coming. Well, last week was one hell of a week and a pretty solid weekend on top of that. Let's see, I'll start with the biggest news in sports, the end of the NBA Lockout.

• This really sucks actually. The league really is brutal, and when I say that I'm talking about the business aspect of it. The players have far too much power (see: LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh all setting it up so they all sign in Miami) and the owners and league office don't have enough sack to do anything about it. They seriously need a full year off so the league and the owners scan take the power back.
• The league will have a 66 game season that will open up on Christmas Day, when the Celtics play um, I think the Knicks? You Twitter followers needa help me out here. Tweet me and tell me if I'm right or wrong. Anyways, of course the NBA wouldn't let the lockout go past Christmas. That is THE biggest money making day of the season. I can't count how many people I know that open their presents on Christmas and then sit on their asses and watch game after game after game after game (pretty ridiculous if you ask me) If they let it get past Christmas Day everyone knew they were screwed.

How about them Bruins?

• 12-0-1 since the beginning of November. It's almost getting to the point where I can't count that high (that's a joke obviously, I can count far past 12)
• KHL seems to have hit their stride. Krejci is tearing it up right now after that extension and Horton and Lucic seem to be following his lead.
• When did Chris Kelly become a goal scorer? The dude has 10 goals already and is only 5 short of his career high. The man is red hot right now.
• Seguin is still the single most exciting young player in the game right now. Do you see how people just sit on the edge of their seats whenever he gets the puck? The kid's special. All you Twitter people, don't forget to keep writing him into the All Star Game in Ottawa on the NHL website and get #SeguinforAllStarGame trending!
• Poo Poo Pouliot seems to have turned a corner. The guy brings a ton of energy every shift and is starting to make some really nice plays, as well as score some important goals (ALWAYS use Pouliot in a shootout. He'll score every time) If he keeps this up I would have no problem with the Bruins giving him a new contract.
• Joe Corvo is officially a Big Bad Bruin! He got into his first career NHL fight with Joey Crabb towards the end of the Leafs game on Saturday night. It was a pretty crappy fight, and it eneded in a draw anyways, but the fact that he's now willing to drop the gloves has made him an official Bruin in my book.

The Red Sox had quite a week last week, so let's check up on them!

• The team officially introduced Bobby Valentine as the new manager on Thursday. Well, he is the perfect guy for a culture change. But, here's the deal with Bobby V. Either things go tremendously right and the team does better than anyone could ever have expected, or this whole thing blows up in The team's face and becomes a HUGE mess for them to clean up. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
• A day after being introduced as manager, Valentine flew down to the Dominican Republic to visit with David Ortiz and attempt to bring him back to the Red Sox. I seriously don't want him and his whining back in Boston. He can take it to New York for all I care. Just not here.
• Jim Bowden of MLB Network says that the Red Sox are maintaining dialogue with Scott Boras about free agent closer Ryan Madson (Twitter link) WEEI's Rob Bradford says that the Red Sox also had discussions with closer Heath Bell before he signed with Miami.
• Jim Bowden also says that the Red Sox priorities, in order, are: David Ortiz, a closer, a starting pitcher, and a right handed hitting outfielder (Twitter link) Seriously, why Ortiz?
• The Red Sox are set to meet with Bob Garber, the agent who represents both C.J. Wilson and Roy Oswalt, according to Michael Silverman of The Boston Herald (Twitter link) Hopefully with Wilson their just doing their due diligence and talking to him. His playoff numbers are scary, and personally, I believe if the Red Sox signed him we'd be looking at a left handed John Lackey. I do like the idea of adding Roy Oswalt though.
• According to WEEI's Rob Bradford, the Red Sox are interested in free agent starter Hiroki Kuroda. Their ability to sign him though depends on gaining financial flexibility via other moves.
• Tim Wakefield told Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald that he would like to pitch one more year with the Red Sox. Please, for the love of God don't bring him back.
• Larry Lucchino told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that he won't be attending the Winter Meetings in Dallas. Maybe this is a sign he's finally going to back the hell off and let Cherington do his job?
• According to SI's Jon Heyman, few teams want bullpen help more than the Padres, Brewers, and the Red Sox (Twitter link) Good sign if you ask me.

That's all I have today. I'll be sure to keep you guys posted on Twitter as well as Facebook until my next post. Not sure when that will be though...

Bruins Extend Krejci

David Krejci and the Bruins announced today that they had agreed to a 3 year extension

Today, the Bruins announced that they extended center David Krejci for another 3 years. The deal is reportedly worth $15.75M and will carry a cap hit of $5.25M.

The timing of this is just so damn funny. All week there have been rumors galore of the Bruins possibly trading David Krejci in exchange for Anaheim winger Bobby Ryan.  Then, the end of the week comes and it's "Hey guys! We extended him so shut your mouths!" Great timing Chia.

The money he's getting in this makes me a little bit uneasy though. He's a 60 point player who's off to a downright horrible start this year and adds almost nothing to the powerplay. 5.25 million for a 60 point player? That just seems insane. Very few GM's in their right mind would give a 60 point player 5 million. But, I do see where Chiarelli is coming from. He's taking everything into consideration with this deal. And when I say everything, I mean everything. Not just his regular season play, but his play in last year's cup run (without Krejci I don't know how the Bruins would have won) and witnessing how much of a factor he is to the team in the playoffs (see: Injury in 2010 East Semi-Finals) So I guess you can make a case for 5.25, but it still seems too high to me. Then again, we all said that about Ference, Thomas, and Bergeron, and sure as hell those guys are earning their money.

The other funny thing about this deal is that it was signed yesterday in Krejci's hotel room before the Toronto game. I guess the new contract explains the huge game he had, not the trade rumors.

Red Sox to Hire Bobby Valentine as Manager

Now former ESPN Baseball Analyst Bobby Valentine has agreed to become the new Red Sox manager

God help us all. The Red Sox have agreed to hire Bobby Valentine as the new manager. Mike Lynch of WCVB-TV was the first one to report that they had reached a verbal agreement. ESPN's Karl Ravech reported earlier last night that Gene Lamont was out of the running for the position.

This team is either completely screwed or they have just made the best decision ever. There's really no happy medium with Valentine. Either things go perfectly and better than anyone could ever expect, or all goes to hell and Valentine ends up fired.

Valentine is one of the best analysts in the business, I have to admit that. He's got a great baseball mind and is one of the smartest guys ever to manage an MLB team. Hell, in case you didn't hear him a few months ago, he answered the question of why Crawford was doing so poorly. He basically said that Crawford's stance is too open and that he needs to get rid of that stance. He is truly brilliant, but his problem is that he can be a loose cannon and it's pretty much his way or the highway.

Now, the bad side. And when I say bad, I mean atrocious. His career winning percentage is .510. That's horribly mediocre. In 15 seasons as an MLB manager, he made the playoffs twice, won the World Series once (those god damn '86 Mets), and never finished higher than second place in the division. He then went to Japan, where he managed the same team on two seperate occassions and was fired from the same team on two seperate occassions. That's probably one of the worst resumes I have ever seen.

The upside? If he finds out about fried chicken and beer in the clubhouse he's gonna be taking guys into his office and beating the holy living hell out of them. He'd probably even throw haymakers in front of everyone. That wouldn't surprise me one bit. Also, the upside for me and the media is he's going to be extremely entertaining, and he's going to give me a lot to talk about.

Anyways, contract negotiations are taking place today I think. Or whenever it is Valentine gets back from Japan. They'll probably settle on like a two year contract or something, but don't ask me about money 'cause I have no idea what a manager is worth salary wise.

Latest Red Sox Rumors

So, there are quite a few rumors out regarding the Sox, so I figured it'd be helpful if I gave you guys some updates in 140 characters or more (sarcastic Twitter reference there).

First off, Oakland A's pitcher Gio Gonzalez has been a name widely discussed internally by the Sox. The lefty was 16-12 this past season with a 3.12 ERA. The Sox have inquired on him, but Billy Beane is feeling lazy at the moment and hasn't begun any serious discussions with anyone interested in the guy. Also, some NL talent evaluator who wishes to remain anonymous said that 26 year old Gonzalez would be at the top of most teams' wish lists.

The Red Sox checked in with Yankees reliever Luis Ayala. The 34 year old pitched to a 2.09 ERA in 56 inning for the Skanks last season. He did pretty ugly in 2009, pitching to a 5.63 ERA while splitting time between Minnesota and Florida. But, his solid performance in New York is probably going to get him a guaranteed major league deal.

The Sox are still pursuing lefty C.J. Wilson, according to John Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Please Ben, for the love of God stay away from Wilson. Yeah, I know, the guy's got impressive numbers in the regular season. But how about when it was crunch time? His playoff numbers were brutal. His total playoffs ERA in the past 2 seasons with Texas is 4.82. Not exactly pretty. Not to mention his record over those 2 seasons is 1-5. Pretty scary if you ask me. I personally have concerns on whether or not he could handle the pressure in a market like Boston or New York or even Chicago, where old friend Theo Epstein is most likely going to pursue him. It gives me visions of John Lackey. Exactly, that scary.

The Sox apparently asked the Jays about interviewing former Sox pitching coach and current Toronto manager John Farrell for the managerial vacancy. What did Anthopolous have to say? "Give us Buchholz and you can talk to him." Hey Alex, stick it in your ass. Dink.

Within the next week, the team will announce the new manager. It'll either be Bobby Valentine (God damn it) or Gene Lamont (you've got to be kidding me). Pretty shitty candidates if you ask me. It appears that Lamont is Cherington's guy while Valentine is Lucchino's. Who do you think will win out on that one? (Rhetorical question, obviously Lucchino)

Nick Cafardo thinks that the Red Sox should go after Michael Cuddyer for right field with Carlos Beltran as Plan B. He also says that the Red Sox have inquired on Astros pitcher Wandy Rodriguez. Seriosu discussions haven't taken place. Sounds like the Sox were just seeing how available he is. He also thinks that Joe Saunders and Francisco Liriano would be good fits in the Red Sox rotation (maybe on Saunders, hell no Liriano)

One last note, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald believes that the Red Sox should convert Daniel Bard into a starter. former Red Sox pitching coach Curt Young acknowledged that Bard does have a "starter's repertoire". I still don't see that happening.

Latest News From the Past Week

I know, I know, I've been on somewhat of a hiatus for something like a week now. I don't really remember why, I just never got around to writing. But, if you follow me on Twitter (@DirtyWaterBuzz) you would see some news that I've put out in 140 characters or less (can't stand that part of Twitter). Anyways, here's what's been going on in the past week:

The Red Sox:

• It appears the manager search is down to two candidates. Bobby Valentine and Gene Lamont. Both are just horrid, horrid choices. Why didn't they call Dave Martinez again?
• Apparently the Sox asked the Jays about talking to John Farrell. Anthopolous' response? "Give us Buchholz and you can talk to him" What a pissy piece of shit. It's not like your team is any good anyways.
• Gio Gonzalez is a name that has been widely discussed internally by the team. Gonzalez is a lefty starter for Oakland who has also drawn interest from the Yankess and the Marlins. The A's have yet to engage in serious discussions with anyone about Gio yet though.
• The Sox are still pursuing free agent lefty C.J. Wilson, according to John Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. I personally would like to see the Sox stay away from him. his regular season numbers are impressive no doubt, but he sucked in the playoffs and that makes me wary of signing him to a long term deal. Morosi also says that the Sox have checked in on Luis Ayala, who pitched 56 innings for the Yankees last year and had a 2.09 ERA.

The Bruins:

• The Bruins were red freakin' hot this week. They took a 10 game winning streak into yesterday's game against Detroit. They did lose in a shootout to the Red Wings, but they got a point out of it and that makes it an 11 game point streak coming into tonight's game against Winnipeg.
• Tyler Seguin has been on fire all year and has already topped both his goal total and his point toal from last season. The kid belongs in the All Star Game. So, go on Twitter, follow me (@DirtyWaterBuzz), get #SeguinforAllStarGame trending, and be sure to follow @writeinSeguin to get the link to write the kid in.

Also, some breaking news. It appears that the NBA and the NBAPA have reached a tentative agreement to end the lockout. It still needs to be ratified by the players and owners though, but it would make for a 66 game season that would start on Christmas Day.

Damn it. That league needs an entire season off. The players have far too much power and the owners are subject to a league office full of pussies that won't do a damn thing about it. Absolutely pathetic.

The Red Sox Are Going to Hell

So the Red Sox had one guy in mind to manage the team next year. It was Dale Sveum. And guess what former Red Sox GM and now Cubs President of Baseball Operations did today! He hired that exact same guy, Dale Sveum, to manage the Cubs next year.

Hey Theo, GFY.

This Red Sox team is going to hell now. They had a shitty list of candidates to begin with, but ever since he was hired, GM Ben Cherington and Red Sox ownership have been contradicting each other at every turn. First, he tells Felger and Mazz on the radio that the next Red Sox manager doesn't have to have previous managerial experience. Then, ownership comes out and says that the next manager does indeed have to have previous managerial experience. Then Cherington says that the Red Sox don't have any current plans to expand the managerial search. And of course, ownership comes out and says that they are going to expand the search and that they've reached out to Bobby Valentine.

Wait, what? Bobby Valentine? Are you shitting me? Larry Lucchino's best idea for manager is Bobby F'ing Valentine? What the hell is he on? I'm guessing some combination of rufies, ecstasy, and a couple of those Euro drugs that the Feds are keeping an eye on. The only good thing that could come out of hiring Bobby Valentine is that if he found out about beer and fried chicken in the clubhouse he'd throw friggin' haymakers.

But seriously, the guy managed for 15 years in the MLB and made the playoffs twice. Then he went over and managed in Japan and got fired twice from the exact same team that he managed out there. Sounds like a pretty shitty resume to me.

Hopefully ownership stops trying to use Cherington as their god damn puppet and lets him and the rest of his Baseball Operations staff do their jobs. Like it's ridiculous, ownership wants a manager who will follow every order given to him and will listen to exactly what "Carmine" says. What they SHOULD be looking for is a manager who will hear "Carmine says that (insert player's name here) will have good stats playing (insert position here) here." and responds with "I don't give a shit what your frigging computer says I want to know what the scouts have to say and you will listen to what I have to say."

I seriously would just love to get into this team and have my voice, the voice of reason and legitimacy and exactly what should be done, heard. They should be interviewing guys who would actually make good managers. So, without further ado, here's my list of candidates:

• Ryne Sandberg
• Dave Martinez
• Tim Wallach
• Don Wakamatsu
• Pete Mackanin
• John Farrell

Yeah yeah, I know that the Jays don't want to the Sox to talk to Farrell at all, but personally I'd tell Anthopolous to stick it and talk to him anyways. And Mackanin is out of the running already, but I have a feeling that was an ownership call, not a Cherington one, seeing as he was the first one they wanted to talk to.

Also, it sounds like the Sox are trying to hire former Mets GM Omar Minaya to some sort of special assistant role. Really? Omar Minaya? Jesus, just when you thought their personnel choices couldn't get any worse, you hear the name Omar Minaya. Good friggin' God.

Cubs Offer Dale Sveum Manager Position. Wait What?

Theo Must be really, really bitter about not taking everyone in the Boston Front Office with him to Chicago.

Reports are coming out today saying that Theo Epstein and the Cubs have offered Dale Sveum the manager position in Chicago, right after Sveum finishes his second interview with the Red Sox.

What the fuck.

If Sveum takes the Cubs position over the Red Sox, maybe the Sox will try and get Mike Maddux again. Oh wait that's right, he withdrew because he wanted to be closer to his family. Yet, Chicago is about the same distance from Texas as Boston is, and he was more than happy to interview there.

Here's a message for you Theo. Let Cherington do his job, stop trying to jack all his ideas you prick.

Seriously, you would think he would try and leave on good terms. I had all the respect in the world for Theo when he left. Now he's just an asswipe.

So, if Sveum does take the Chicago job, who do the Red Sox hire? Mackanin isn't a candidate anymore. They better damn well not hire Gene Lamont to be manager. Alomar Jr may be good, but I really don't know much about him other than the fact that he's a bench coach. Lovullo is practically unknown and doesn't have managerial experience. Who the hell are they going to go after?

Dale Sveum Appears to be Frontrunner for Manager

Dale Sveum gives his trademark windmill during a Red Sox game. The former Sox third base coach appears to be the frontrunner to replace Terry Francona as manager.

Red Sox GM Ben Cherington confirmed at the GM Meeting in Milwaukee the other day that he will be interviewing Dale Sveum a second time, and it's possible that one other candidate will get a second interview as well. According to most reports and speculation, Sveum appears to be the frontrunner to replace Terry Francona as the Red Sox manager.

Honestly, I'm kinda surprised at this. I fully expected a much more established list of candidates to be interviewed, and the only one that I had in mind that they actually talked to was Philadelphia bench coach Pete Mackanin. I was expecting a list of guys like Mackanin, Dave Martinez (Tampa Bay bench coach), Ryne Sandberg (Philadelphia's AAA manager), and others that I can't really remember at this moment. The list Cherington put together surprised me, and to be honest I was and still am skeptical about guys such as Alomar, Sveum, Lovullo, and Lamont. Although, if Sveum does indeed get the job, don't be surprised to see Gene Lamont hired to be his right hand man, seeing as Sveum has only managed something along the lines of 14 games in his coaching career.

The issue with this is that Theo Epstein has a very similar list of managerial candidates. He's interviewed Sveum, Mike Maddux (who was on the Red Sox list but opted to withdraw from the search), Sandy Alomar Jr., and Mackanin. It makes me wonder, what the hell kind of a game is Theo playing here? First he interviews Francona for the job, then he goes and basicallly jacks Cherington's list of candidates and starts interviewing them. Like really, what's his deal?

On another note, it seems Theo may a bit bitter about not being able to take his entire staff with him from Boston to Chicago, so he decided to have GM Jed Hoyer interview Red Sox bench coach DeMarlo Hale about the manager position in Chicago. It's just annoying at this point that Theo's trying to jack all of Cherington's plans. So much for leaving on good terms asshole.

Weekend Roundup

It's that time again people, my weekly weekend roundups. I actually enjoy writing these 'cause I get to bitch about everything and anything. So, in any case, if you were living underneath a rock all weekend, here's what you missed:

The Bruins:

• Seriously, these guys are on fire right now. They've won 5 straight now and they're looking like the team that won the Stanley Cup last year.
• Is it just me or is it friggin' awesome to watch these guys score in rapid succession? I mean hell, I even turned Jack Edwards' new catch phrase into a Twitter hashtag, #BABOOM, 'cause if you watch the games, you'd know that every time the Bruins score twice in a short span of time Jack just feels the need to yell that out.
• That pre-game ceremony where the team brought in the soldier to surprise his family was absolutely amazing. I loved watching that, it was so great to see one of our soldiers return in such a great fashion. If that didn't warm your heart, you have absolutely no soul whatsoever.
• Tyler Seguin is on fire. Seriously, the kid's matched his goal total from last year and is only a couple points away from matching his point total from last year too. I don't get why he isn't on the All Star Ballot, so all you people who follow me on Twitter spread around my new hashtag, #SeguinforAllStarGame, so we can get a write in campaign going.

The Red Sox:

• Over the weekend, GM Ben Cherington interviewed both Tony Lovullo and Gene Lamont, which officially concluded the first round of interviews for manager. The team will conduct two follow up interviews at the Winter Meetings in Milwaukee, one with Dale Sveum and one with a mystery candidate. It appears that Dale Sveum is the frontrunner for the job.
• The Sox lost Closer Jonathan Papelbon to the Phillies when he signed a 4 year, $50M deal that will be official after Pap takes his physical. He better hope they don't make him take any sort of academic exam as well, otherwise the deal will be called off 'cause Pap is as dumb as a stump.
• The Sox now appear to be in on closers Ryan Madson and Heath Bell and are also considering internal candidates for the role as well (meaning they're considering putting Bard at closer).
• All signs point to the Sox re-signing DH David Ortiz. God damn it, I really didn't want to see them bring back this friggin' pri madonna. All he's done the past couple years is bitch and moan and I was really hoping they'd let him go and try to change the clubhouse, but now that the Yankees are saying they don't need him and the Jays are saying they don't need him, the market for him looks like this: Red Sox, Red Sox, Red Sox, and Red Sox. Yeah, it seems we're kinda stuck with the guy.
• Cherington also said that if the Sox do indeed re-sign Ortiz, they won't be signing or trading for a big bat in the outfield such as Carlos Beltran or Grady Sizemore and will go for more of a solid veteran type to compete with Reddick and Kalish for the right field job.
• Also, Cherington and Theo Epstein states that the two of them plan to meet at the Winter Meeting and work out the compensation for the Sox losing Theo. Wow, I completely forgot this was going on. I can't believe they haven't been able to solve this issue in a month. I mean shit, World War II was resolved in two weeks and the entire Central Powers collapsed and surrendered in one month after World War I, which wasn't much time considering how many countries were involved in that war. It's a bit ridiculous that they haven't figured it out, especially since the Sox are just going to get a couple good prospects from the Cubs' farm system, not like Matt Garza or Starlin Castro or giving them John Lackey or anything.

On two seperate notes, the Patriots spanked the Jets last night. And when I say spanked, I mean Sanchez and Co. basically bent over and allowed it to happen. Sanchez absolutely blows. Why exactly does he always keep his eyes on the rush and not downfield where he can find a receiver? And how the hell were Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress shut down by Andre Carter and Devon McCourty (who by the way is out indefinitely with a seperated right shoulder)? I still think it's time for the Patriots to find a new GM and have Bill step down to just be head coach so this team can get a pass rusher (the lack of one has been killing them on third down) and some coordinators to help bring these rookies along instead of just stunting their development.

Also, there's really no news on the NBA lockout front other than the fact that they're still at a stalemate and as of right now the season won't begin until New Year's Eve. So basically you can assume an entire season of basketball will be lost. Makes no difference to me, I can't stand basketball, but hey, I gotta keep everyone here happy and updated.

Phillies Agree to Sign Jonathan Papelbon

Well this sucks. The Phillies have agreed to terms with now former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. The deal was first reported by Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly, and my regular sources, such as Jon Heyman, filled in the blanks later on. The deal is reported to be 4 years, $50M with a vesting option for a fifth year, which would then make the deal worth $60M.

Jesus H Christ. What has baseball come to when you're paying a guy $12.5M per year to come in, give you maybe 50-60 appearances, maybe 30+ saves, and pitch one or two innings per appearance? The market for closers is ridiculous. Like seriously, it should look something like the DH market does now.

Anyways, it appears now with Pap gone, the Sox are in on Ryan Madson and Heath Bell, and probably guys like Joe Nathan and K-Rod (the last two have not been reported, that is just my guess). It doesn't look like they're going to go the closer-by-committee route and throw Bard into that role. Odds are Bard will stay in the 8th inning role, otherwise he's geting moved to the rotation.

I wonder what song the Phillies are going to play whenever Pap comes out of the bullpen. They sure as hell can't play Shipping Up to Boston, 'cause ya know, it's Philadelphia and all. I also wonder what that fatass cop is going to do now that he doesn't have Papelbon to fist bump every time he comes in. Maybe the Sox can answer that question for me once I get my press pass.

Also, now that the Sox will receive two compensatory picks, I'm thinking Cherington is looking at possible trades for either pitching or a bat that involves one or two low level prospects, even if they're good, since they'll just be replaced within a year or two. I wouldn't mind seeing Gio Gonzalez come in. The Sox have also reportedly expressed interest in free agent starter Mark Beuhrle. I personally like Beuhrle a lot. Veteran player, good attitude, has a ring, and can slide into the 4 or 5 spot and log you some good innings. Basically an effective Tim Wakefield. Hey Ben, I hope you read this, 'cause I actually have good ideas. Of course, Ben Cherington isn't reading this or anything on this site for that matter, but hey, I can dream can't I?

Caron and Pouliot Struggling. Could This Mean the Bruins Trade for Winger?

So it's been out there for a while that the Oilers may be shopping center Sam Gagner, especially now that Nugent-Hopkins is centering the top line and Shawn Horcoff is centering the second line, and the third line may not be where the Oilers want him. The issue is how he's perceived around the league. He's not exactly considered a playmaker at center and not really a true scorer either, but he's too talented to be relegated to third line duties. Of course, there are a few other teams in need of a center, with the Islanders and Devils the most obvious ones. But I wonder if anyone has considered moving him to wing. A lot of centers start out as wingers, and getting experience with a good center who can take a lot of those responsibilities off of you could be very beneficial (see: Patrice Bergeron, Tyler Seguin). Maybe the Bruins would consider making a move for him? He wouldn't cost much, most likely he wouldn't even net a first round pick. Perhaps the Bruins could do something with Caron/Pouliot and send over a decent package (and by package, I don't mean something massive. Something small) for the kid. Put him on the third line with Peverley and Kelly could actually be very good for him. Remember though, there have been absolutely no reports saying the Bruins have any interest in him or anyone for that matter, so this is pure speculation on my part. It would be nice to see the Bruins trade for someone and see him really break out here, something that hasn't happened in a long time here in Boston.

Orioles Name Dan Duquette GM, Will Suck For Many More Years

Former Red Sox GM Dan Duquette agreed to a deal with the Orioles that makes him the new GM

So yesterday, the news broke that after a long and exhausting GM search in which they had candidates decline interviews and decline the job offer, the Orioles decided to name Dan Duquette their new General Manager. Dan Duquette? You mean the former Red Sox GM who had private detectives follow players around? The same Dan Duquette who gave up on all of his drafts after selecting Nomar, after which one player made the MLB and one made the NFL? The same Dan Duquette who has about as much people skills as a chipmunk? Yep, that same Dan Duquette. I can see it now, his introductory press conference. Man, I gotta watch that, it should be entertaining, between him and Buck Freaking Showalter I'm gonna have some good laughs for the next few years with this team. I bet it goes something like this:

Reporter: "Dan, how is this year's team going to be different than ones in years past?"
Duquette: "Why don't you go ask Buck that fucking question."
Reporter: "Buck, what are your thoughts?"
Showalter: "...Go fuck yourselves"

I just feel that something like that is bound to happen. With this duo at the helm of the Orioles organization, that team is bound to be at the bottom of the league for years to come. Duquette does have one hell of an eye for talent, but as Peter Gammons has pointed out, he's been out of the game for about 10 years now, what's to say he isn't still stuck in his past analytic methods? And hell, I'll ask my own question. What's to say his inability to draft for years and years and his knack for trading away very good players such as Jamie Moyer and Adam Everett isn't still with him? I fully believe that Baltimore is screwed. Duquette can be good, but probably won't be, and Showalter is a damn meathead with far too much power as manager. Congratulations Baltimore, you've officially screwed yourselves for years to come.

Bruins vs Leafs: AKA The Tyler Seguin Show

Wow. First off, the game itself was unreal. Just an awesome effort all around, and it actually lasted the entire game. I know, surprising, right? But that's just a side story. Tyler Seguin scored a hat trick last night. And not just your standard "Hey I tapped in a few rebounds" hat trick, this one was absolutely nasty, as seen in the video. I wonder if he played baseball as a kid... Anyways, here are some of the other highlights:

• Krejci seems to have found a little bit of balance. He had a goal and a nice assist on the Lucic goal. Maybe he's finally starting to come around.
• Lucic is an absolute frigging beast. To anyone who says he's a lumbering lard, I say watch his goal. Right off the faceoff after one of Seguin's goals he goes right to the line, catches a pass from Seidenberg and just explodes past the D. Can you say dominant power forward?
• Timmy looked sharp all night. 24 shots? Compared to what he saw in the playoffs last year, that's like hanging out watching the game while pounding an ice cold natty.
• Once again, Phil Kessel was Missing in Action. And by that, I mean he was on the ice and he played, but you wouldn't have known it 'cause he played like shit.
• How in God's name did Seguin score from that deep in the corner? Seriously, who else in the league can do that?
• That second goal was nothing special. I mean hell, I could've kept my stick below shoulder height while taking a baseball swing at the puck with pinpoint accuracy over the goalie's shoulder. And in case you're too stupid to realize, that was all sarcasm right there. That second goal was Godly.
• How in hell did Seguin roof the puck with maybe a foot of room? Seriously, this kid is absolutely nasty. Just wait until he hits his prime. I'm seeing at least a 40G-50A player.

On another note, today at practice it looked like Jarvis was giving Seguin some time on the point with Chara while Krejci, Marchand, and Bergeron played down low. Maybe this is something we see in a game? Also, I gave Seguin my card today after practice, so there's a a slight possibility he's reading this right now. So in that case, welcome to The Buzz Tyler! Hopefully you stick around, it might be nice to see what a real fan thinks. Especially since I'm kinda smarter in hockey than most other people.

Is Horton's Concussion Still Affecting Him?

It sure sounds like it. According to James Murphy of NESN and ESPN Boston, Nathan Horton has stated that the concussion he got from that cheap ass hit from Aaron Rome in the Finals last year is affecting him mentally on the ice, which apparently explains away his poor, or should I say horrible, play so far. Nope, not for me. Move on Nathan, the Finals were in June and you've been symptom free all summer, focus on playing hockey and not whether you're going to get clocked in the head. And when the Vancouver Dive Team comes to town this winter, beat the holy living shit out of Rome. It'll really get your team going and plus, you can walk away and say you beat the hell out of one of the bigger pussies on the Dive Team.

Francona Set to Interview in St. Louis

According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Dispatch, the Cardinals are set to interview about 10 people for their open manager position. Those candidates include the one and only Terry "Tito" Francona. I hope he gets the job. After the way ownership screwed him over, I'd like to see him land a new job. He's a great guy and would definitely be a great fit in the St. Louis clubhouse. So Tito, best of luck, Red Sox Nation wishes you nothing but the best and hopes that you land the job (doubt anyone else in RSN gives a shit, but I feel obligated to speak for all the pink hats and tools in it).

Edelman Charged With Indecent Assault

Patriots Wide Receiver Julian Edelman is being charged with groping a woman at a nightclub Monday night

So Pats' receiver Julian Edelman is being accused of groping a young woman at a Halloween Party at the Storyville Nightclub Monday night. Now, that might sound bad, but I personally am not buying it. Why the fuck would you grab a chick between her legs? It's the number one rule of clubbing, 'cause the girls there are insane. The Police also think that by reviewing the club's security footage they'll be able to determine whether or not Edelman did it. Really? They think that by watching a video of hundreds of people dancing in one area, and most probably in some sort of costume 'cause they think they're cool, they'll be able to pick out exactly which person is Edelman and exactly whether or not he groped the girl? That's laughable to say the least. I wish them the best of luck in that, 'cause I know just as well as most people who have a slight knowledge of the criminal justice system, that they have 0 chance of finding exactly which person is Edelman.

Weekend Roundup

So I haven't been able to post in a few days because I still have no power and I have to do my posting from school. Don't even get me started on the National Grid. Anyways, here's what I wanted to post over the weekend but was unable to all in one post.

First, the Bruins:

• The Bruins look friggin' horrible right now. It's way past ridiculous at this point. Peter Chiarelli needs to get his hands out from under his ass and swing a deal to give these guys a kick in the ass.
• PK Subban looks like he trained with the Canadian National Dive Team over the summer. Lucic gave him a little lovetap in the second game of the series (which I do believe was extremely stupid by the way) and PK falls to his knees like someone took a fucking sledgehammer to his calf and draws a slashing call.
• Ference and Horton need to have more discipline. Ference is a vet who wears the "A" part time, he shouldn't be getting sucked in by that bitch Subban. Giving a guy a sucker punch after the whistle, no mater how much he deserves it, is going to get you called every time. And did Horton really think he was going to move the turnstile the Scabs call Hal Gill? Seriously, the guy's like 6'6 or something and as big as Horton is, he looks like a midget compared to him. Stupid move on his part.
• Tuukka Rask did his best Gerry Cheevers impression. I loved it. He comes out of the crease, slides on his ass and trips up Montreal's favorite little bitch Pacioretty and sends him flying, all while pushing the puck up ice. Fucking awesome.
• The refs really don't like the Bruins this year. They always get called for total bullshit, as proven by the Seidenberg holding call in which Seidenberg placed his free hand on the shoulder of the Scab on a breakaway and poked the puck off of his stick. He didn't even grab him. And I'm definitely not the only one who thinks this. Just ask Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com. Even Haggs says the refs are out to get the Bruins after they won the Cup by beating the shit out of the Sedin Sisters and Co.
• I think it's about time Chiarelli fires Geoff Ward. The guy runs a brutal powerplay and he's the one who comes up with the late game schemes that never work out. I mean hell, firing the Assistant Coach seems to have worked for the Scabs, so why not show this team that nobody's job is safe, including the coaches.

The Red Sox:

• Ben Cherington's first official transaction as GM of the Red Sox was to pick up the club option on shortstop Marco Scutaro. Smart move, keeps the revolving door at shortstop at rest for at least another year while Jose Iglesias continues to develop his hitting skills.
• The Sox and Cubs were unable to reach an agreement on compensation for former Sox GM and now Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein. And that means that the case has landed on Commissioner Bud Selig's desk today. Wonderful, now we can expect almost nothing in return because Selig highly undervalues a good executive.
• Yesterday the Sox declined the club options on relievers Dan Wheeler and Scott Atchison. Chances are they'll re-sign Atchison to a minor league deal to save the 40-man roster spot. Don't know about Wheeler though, he could be gone. He had a pretty bad April and a horrible second half, so they may just look internally (Bowden, Tazawa, Doubront, Weiland) to find his replacement or find someone capable of pitching the 6th and 7th or whatever is needed on the open market.
• The team also interviewed Philadelphia bench coach Pete Mackanin for the vacant managerial position. Today they're interviewing Brewers' hitting coach Dale Sveum (Please God, not Dale Sveum). GM Ben Cherington said that the team has not requested permission to interview anyone else yet, but there are several more candidates working for other teams that the team will probably interview, with Tampa Bay bench coach Dave Martinez being the only name on that list that I can remember. Philadelphia's AAA Affiliate Manager Ryne Sandberg is also likely to be interviewed.

The Patriots:

• It's got to be emabrassing when the other team is passing on your defense in obvious running situations. The defense really needs to get into shape fast if they want to a legitimate playoff contender. They can't keep relying on Brady and the offense to win games for them.
• The Patriots cut Cornerback Leigh Bodden over the weekend. I didn't even know he was still on the team. That's how bad he's been.
• Maybe it's time that Bellichick hires a new Defensive Coordinator, because the current defense is either tuning him out or just isn't getting the message.

Also last week, I attended a Boston Globe Insider Event at the Cask'n Flag'n where I was able to speak with Globe Sports/Red Sox Reporters Dan Shaughnessy, Peter Abraham, and Bob Hohler. Shaughnessy made it clear at the beginning that Terry Francona did not quit and it was not a mutual "parting of ways". He was in fact fired. I also asked the three of them publicly if the Red Sox have a team psychologist on the medical staff to evaluate the mental makeup of current players as well as prospective players such as potential draftees and free agent signings. They said that the team employs Dr. Bob Tewksbury who holds a Ph.D in Sports Psychology who works with all the players on the team, but does not do anything in the way of scouting potential draftees or free agent signings. I personally believe the team should employ another psychologist, one who holds a Ph.D in Cognitive Psychology as a scout to secretly evaluate potential free agent signings and go over files and paperwork of players the team is interested in trading for and give a solid description of their mental makeup, all in an effort to avoid disasters such as Erik Bedard and John Lackey. Privately, I asked Bob Hohler, the reporter who broke the story on the Francona smearing, if he could confirm or deny whether all three/any combination of the Ownership trio (John Henry, Larry Lucchino, Tom Werner) was his source for the story, and he said that he could neither confirm or deny. A lack of words has never told me so much about the sources. I also asked Peter Abraham about the rumors of Kevin Youkilis being a clubhouse cancer. His answer was something along the lines of "He's a generally grumpy guy so he's not going to be the most popular dude on the team, but he works his ass off." Abraham did agree with me when I suggested they could trade Youkilis for some pitching. Both of them were given my card and for all I know, they could be reading this story right now, which would be pretty friggin' sweet. Anyways, other than the unsurprising news that the NBA and the NBAPA failed to come to a labor agreement and more games were cancelled, that's all I have for you. So hopefully I get power back soon and can dish out updates as I get them.

Red Sox Will Go After Beltran

So according to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the Red Sox are expeced to go after free agent right fielder Carlos Beltran. Oh God. They better not. Beltran had a good year last year but he's going to be looking for a multi-year deal and unless the Sox plan on trading both Reddick and Kalish, that would be an extremely stupid move. I'd rather them see go after a short term stopgap until Kalish is ready, because I fully expect them to throw Reddick into a package to score some pitching help. Now, Kalish won't be ready for at least another year, because he was hurt pretty much all year and that's basically a year of development just gone down the tubes. Maybe Beltran would be cool with a two year deal, who knows? But keep in mind, he's a Scott "I'm the biggest prick in all of baseball" Boras client, so whoever signs him is going to overpay massively as most teams do for his clients.

On another note, it sounds like the Blue Jays are going to go after David Ortiz according to Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star. Hey, if Alex Anthopolous wants him he can have him. Ortiz has been a whiny bitch the past couple years, and this winter hasn't changed that after he made comments saying he wasn't sure he wanted to be part of the drama in Boston. He recently backed off and new GM Ben Cherington has had some preliminary talks with Ortiz and his agent, but I really hope he splits, especially because he's looking for more money than this past season's $12.5M salary. I wonder if he realizes that the market for DH's has gone down considerably and he's already making twice what the average DH does.

What The Hell Is Going On With The Bruins?

After last night's 2-1 loss to the Scabs, the Bruins now sit in dead last in the Eastern Conference. It's become ridiculous at this point. usually I'd blame Coach Potato Head but he's done just about everything you could possibly think of. He's changed the lines, benched guys, given them mental health days off, changing the lines up again, and everything else in between. The dude's frustrated, and it shows. His quote after the game last night ("I might have nightmares tonight about the way we're playing right now.") may become a bit famous. If this is Cup Hangover, I think the Bruins have taken to a new level.

The god news is, Chiarelli isn't just sitting around. According to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun, Chiarelli is working the phones a little more dilligently to explore trade opportunities to jump start the struggling Bruins. Hopefully he's looking to snag a forward that can score, because the problem sure as hell isn't defense or goaltending. The offense so far looks like the '09-'10 team all us true fans despised oh so much. They have 0 spark and it's costing them games. The tricky thing is, who the hell is even available at this point in the year? The only names I've heard that could possibly be available are Rene Bourque of the Flames and maybe (still a big maybe) Daniel Alfreddson of the Senators. Perhaps if the B's wait a couple weeks there will be a few other teams that realize they aren't going to contend and there will be a few more guys on the market, but right now it sounds like the trade market is pretty barren. But hell, who knows. No one realized David Booth was available until Vancouver traded for him, so I guess you never know.

Basically what I'm saying is it's getting close to panic time. This is an extremely good team with a lot of talent in the back end and a good combination of talent up front, and they should not be playing this horribly. Get ready to hit the big red button Bruins fans, this season may be going down the tubes faster than anyone realizes.

Ben Cherington is Already 10 Times Better Than Theo

Ben Cherington at his introductory press conference yesterday afternoon. Cherington was promoted to Executive Vice President/General Manager of the Red Sox.

Yesterday, Ben Cherington was officially introduced as the Red Sox new Executive Vice President/General Manager. Not only does he sound exactly like Theo (thank you Toucher and Rich), but he's already ten times the GM Theo ever was. Why is that? Well, that's because he announced about 45 minutes that John Lackey will undergo Tommy John surgery this winter. GET THE DUCK BOATS READY!!!!!! I was really hoping they could trade the fat lard, but hey, not having him for an entire season is just as good. Plus, who knows, maybe he comes back half decent and they can trade him. In any case though, here's the important stuff you need to know:

• Cherington wants "a new manager with a strong voice who cares about players and can collaborate with the front office." He says the team (aka Cherington and Hazen) will start interviewing candidates soon. They have several candidates in mind for first round interviews, but they haven't asked permission to interview any of them yet. Previous managerial experience would be a plus, but it's not a necessity.
• The team's success with free agent signings has "not been good enough," according to Cherington.
• The Red Sox would like to have Fat Papi (really? They actually want him back?) and Jonathan Papelbon (Yes!!) back, according to Cherington. They've talked a little bit with both guys and expect discussions to continue. Really, the only guy that matters there is Papelbon. He's got the balls to play in Boston, so why not just keep him instead of taking a chance that say Heath Bell will crack under the pressure?
• Cherington says the team will likely pick up the $6M option on shortstop Marco Scutaro. Thank god. It's gonna be another year at least until Iglesias is ready to take over full time (fielding skills are out of this world, but his hitting blows)
• Boston's farm system is "stronger and deeper than ever" at Double-A and below, Cherington said. Shocking....

One last note, where the hell were John Henry and Tom Werner at this presser? Supposedly "travelling". I bet they're flying out to see the chick Gronkowski posed with. Which leads to to another final point. I give mad props to Gronk for getting a picture with that chick. Talk about a bombshell.

The Ellsbury Predicament

So Jacoby Ellsbury is up for arbitration for the second time in his career. Assuming the Sox don't suddenly extend him, he'll get a boatload of money 'cause he just had a monster year. But, I do believe that at some point this season the Red Sox should sign Ellsbury to an extension in order to avoid the usual inevitability that comes with any Scott Boras client, which for all you idiots out there who are reading this trying to learn the first thing about this part of baseball, that means free agency and letting teams bid against each other until he gets himself, erm, I mean his client top dollar, whether it be with the same team or a different team. Typically with a Boras client, a long term deal before free agency doesn't happen except for a few rare cases. But, I personally am hoping that Ellsbury is one of those rare cases. So, without any further useless rambling, I will propose my plan:

• First off, avoid arbitration. Sign Ellsbury to a 1 year contract, worth somewhere in the area of $7-9M. It's the right amount of money, and probably right around what he'd get in arbitration.
• Then, right around the middle of the year, sit down with Ellsbury and Boras and talk about a long term extension. He could be worth some big money assuming he continues to play at this level or an even higher level, and buying out an arbitration year would be huge for the team.
• Now, Boras is a stubborn piece of shit, so convincing him to negotiate a long term deal pre-free agency will be a pain in the ass. Hopefully Cherington has someone on his staff that has some sort of ability to manipulate/convince boras to negotiate.

So, in my first attempt at being an armchair GM, I suggest a 5 year, $67.5M contract extension. Criticize all you want people, but it is a fair deal. I suggest this based on 1) his level of play from when he played his first full year up until 2011 (I give him a mulligan on 2010, broken ribs blow). 2) I base it on his level of play in 2011, his breakout year, in which he absolutely killed the ball and was a master fielder (unlike the highly paid man to his right in left field...) and fully deserves a hefty raise. And 3) I base it on my prediction for his level of play in the years to come, which, based on the past two factors, I believe will be at an all-star level.

So while it may seem highly unlikely that they do hammer out an extension pre-free agency, I believe that to be a very fair deal if they do manage to sign one.

Selig Sets Deadline for Sox, Cubs Compensation Talks

According to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com, Bud Selig told reporters at the World Series that he has told the Red Sox and the Cubs that they have until November 1st to work out a compensation package for Theo before he intervenes and acts as mediator. It's also been reported that the Sox and Cubs have agreed to discontinue compensation talks until after tomorrow's press conference, when the Cubs introduce their new Baseball Operations Regime of Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, and Jason McLeod, and the Red Sox introduce Ben Cherington as General Manager. It's also expected that, after everything is done and over with, the Red Sox will promote current Director of Player Development Mike Hazen to Assistant GM.

Also, MLB's VP of Baseball Operations Joe Torre has said that he will investigate the reports of Red Sox players drinking in the clubhouse and will take appropriate action based on his findings. Hopefully he punishes Lackey by allowing the Red ox to release the fat shit without having to pay the rest of his salary. That'll never happen, but a guy can dream can't he?

Should the Red Sox Trade Beckett?

Could Sox Pitcher Josh Beckett be traded this winter?

Soon to be Red Sox GM Ben Cherington has a lot of work to do this winter. There's improvements that need to be made in the medical staff, coaching staff, he needs to find a manager, and he needs to trade the dead weight (I'm looking at you Lackey). But, here's a trivial question that, if I were Ben Cherington, would consider. Should the Sox trade Josh Beckett? Personally, I think so. Yes, when he's healthy he's one of the best in the game. But, he's hardly ever healthy. I mean, he's "healthy", but to him I guess a blister on his finger means he has to go on the DL. I really think this could be beneficial to the team, assuming they get rid of Lackey too. When Jon Lester came up for his first full season with the pro squad, the Sox basically said to him, "See that guy right there? That's Josh Beckett. Follow him around and do everything he does." It's quite possible that Beckett still has that hold on Lester. He's a terrible influence (come on, drinking beer and ordering Popeye's in the clubhouse was his idea) and, as I already said, he's not usually healthy. now, if the Sox were to trade him, the question becomes "What would he get?" Two words people. A lot. There are many, many teams around the league that would be salivating at the opportunity to acquire Beckett, and it'd be pretty easy to get someone to overpay for him. I say trade him for no less than: a right fielder who hits right handed (and actually CAN hit), a top 10 minor league pitcher from the AA-AAA level, and a top 20 minor league position player from the SL-AA level (for all you people who don't know what SL is, it's Summer League. MLB teams have affiliations with Summer League teams in both the US and the Dominican Republic). And if you can get a team to overpay, that's great.

Now, give me a chance to explain the package. We need a new right fielder, 'cause Nancy Drew is out of here. The lineup is far too left handed, and they need a guy who can produce from that position. The minor league pitcher from the AA-AAA level should be included because the Sox have very little depth in the upper levels of the farm system, and pitching depth was the team's number one weakness last season. Having a guy from the PawSox or even the Sea Dogs who can come up in case of injury and give the team a couple of solid outings before being sent back down would be huge, 'cause Kyle Weiland just ain't cutting it. The prospect from the lower levels should be obvious to most of you legitimate fans out there, whether you're a fan of the Sox or not. The Sox are pretty deep in their lower levels, and 3-5 years from now they will have a pretty good farm system again, as those guys will be playing in Portland or Pawtucket and Cherington, who actually played a major role in the amature drafts, will have re-stocked through the draft. Adding to that depth would be very beneficial to future Sox teams and will most likely be a factor in any and all future success.