Scott Cordischi On Sports: Time for the Sox to Make a Bold Move

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalProv Sports Editor

Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth, Cliff Lee. They are among the big-names available in free agency this offseason. We know that the New York Yankees will go hard after Lee and they have a strong interest in Crawford. But what about the Boston Red Sox?

Like the Yankees, the Sox are usually big players in free agency. John Lackey was the big pick-up last year although his performance did not match the dollars thrown at him by Boston.

The question is: what, exactly, is Theo Epstein thinking? Only Theo knows, but if I had to guess, I’d say that he is luke warm, at best, when it comes to this free agent class.

The Red Sox don’t need Lee because starting pitching is an area of strength. With Ellsbury back, I’m not sure why they would entertain thoughts on a player like Crawford. Werth seems to make the most sense because he’s a right-handed hitting outfielder with some pop in his bat and Boston’s outfield was completely inadequate in their offensive production this past season.

But there is a downside to Werth. First, he’ll be 32 one month into next season. He has also put up some big numbers in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the Majors in Philadelphia’s Citizen’s Bank Ballpark which means that they could be slightly inflated. And, who knows how much it will cost to sign him?

The Red Sox real target this off season should be San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez. The 28-year old first baseman is on the market according to Padres GM and former Epstein assistant Jed Hoyer. Gonzalez will be a free agent following the 2011 season and San Diego knows that it will not be able to afford to keep him. Thus, they want to get something for him while they can.

Gonzalez will cost the Red Sox or any team a boatload of prospects and possibly a proven player or two. But he might be worth it. Over the past four seasons, Gonzalez has averaged more than 34 homeruns and 104 RBI’s per season. He’s that proven young slugger that Boston has been searching for ever since Manny Ramirez left town.

Boston tried to replace him by pursuing Mark Texiera but the Yankees won the bidding process. Now is there chance to land that big stick.

Boston could gamble and choose to wait a year to see if Gonzalez makes it to free agency. That way they wouldn’t have to give up any of their young talent in the organization. The problem with that is that San Diego is intent on moving him. And any team that trades for Gonzalez isn’t going to give up a boat load of prospects unless they can sign Gonzalez to a long-term deal. Therein lies the problem.

If the Red Sox re-sign Adrian Beltre, then that will be an indication that Theo will not pursue Gonzalez because it would mean that Beltre would return to third base while Youkilis stays at first. But, if the Sox watch Beltre sign elsewhere, the guess here is that they will be saving their pennies for Gonzalez. The only sticking point will be what Hoyer and the Padres ask for in the way of players in return.

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