Even David Ortiz says the Red Sox need another power bat. “You definitely need to find another guy who can produce here,” the Sox resident slugger said recently.
Mark Teixeira is the obvious No. 1 choice, but he will be had at great cost. And even if the Sox have a "sky's the limit" mentality in pursuing him, as a free agent, Teixeira has the privilege of going wherever he wants. The player has all the power in this instance.
Whoever is targeted, it's clear that the Sox need more thump in the lineup.
Kevin Youkilis had a career year and cracked 29 homers, 13 more than his previous best in 2007. And Mike Lowell, though on the disabled list twice and playing in just 113 games as a result, still hit 17 homers. The third baseman says his rehab is going well, and that he feels pain free for the first time in quite a while.
Doctors were pleased to see that his hip was in better condition than they had originally anticipated and called his surgery a complete success. He is expected to be fully recovered and ready for spring training. A healthy Lowell could likely be counted on for at least 20 homers next season.
However, the other side of the coin is that Lowell will turn 35 before spring training begins, and there's no guarantee that he'll recover quickly, or fully, at his age. He will remain a question mark until he proves otherwise.
There is a total power outage at shortstop; Julio Lugo and Jed Lowrie combined for a whopping three home runs this year—hold your hats, everyone! And the Sox also lack power in the outfield. Jason Bay is the only bona fide power hitter in the bunch, averaging 29 homers over the past five seasons. In fact, Bay has hit less than 25 homers just once in that span (21 in 2007).
- B/R Ticket Guide
For the 2008 season, the Bill James Handbook projected that Jacoby Ellsbury would hit six home runs. The light-hitting center fielder ended up surpassing the projection, barely, by hitting nine. No one in baseball foresees Ellsbury developing into a power hitter, and a 15-homer season would surpass all reasonable expectations. He is a base-stealer, not a power threat.
Coco Crisp, whose value is higher than at any time since he came to the Red Sox, hit seven homers and will likely be traded. J.D. Drew never was, and never will be, a power hitter. Drew hit just 19 jacks in 2008, and 11 the previous year.
The four current Red Sox outfielders accounted for 66 home runs last year—an average of 16.5 apiece. Thank goodness for Bay; excluding him, the remaining three averaged just 11.7 apiece. That's obviously pretty weak.
The Red Sox were 12th of 30 teams, with 173 home runs in 2008. Just one homer separated them from the middle-of-the-pack. So another power hitter would certainly improve the 2009 team. The Sox were good at manufacturing runs this year through bunting, sacrificing, stealing, and hitting; they finished third in baseball with 845 runs.
But there's no doubt that the addition of Teixeira would spark the offense and perhaps get the Sox over the hump they simply couldn't vault this year. After Tex and Manny Ramirez, the ranks of good free agent power bats gets pretty thin.
Adam Dunn has hit 40 or more homers in five straight seasons, and drawn 100 walks or more walks in four straight seasons. But he strikes out mercilessly, can't hit for average, and plays poor defense. That's not the type of player the Sox covet.
There are older outfielders that the Sox probably wouldn't invest in, such as Moises Alou (42), Luis Gonzalez (41), and Garret Anderson (37). And the free agent ranks are filled with re-treads and washed-up or past-their-prime players like Cliff Floyd, Jay Payton, and Trot Nixon, all of whom have already played in Boston.
Yes, there are more productive, and more expensive, free agents, such as Pat Burrell and Bobby Abreu, but it doesn't seem the Sox would follow such a path.
So, a trade would seem more likely, with Crisp and the underwhelming Lugo being available. But the question is, who else? All teams will be interested in the Sox young and deep pitching talent, such as Clay Buchholz, Justin Masterson, and Michael Bowden. To get Teixeira, a true impact bat, will only cost dollars. Getting an impact bat via trade will cost young players, as well as dollars.
It's the Sox move.
Copyright © 2008 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
comments (3) write a comment »
write a new comment
about 1 month ago
I don't agree with this way of thinking. I believe the depth of a lineup is more important than impact bats. You look at the Yankee teams that dominated the late 90's and in 2000. Who was there impact bat? There wasn't any. Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter were there superstars and Tino Martinez was there power and none of them hit 30+ over that span. Even if Papi is only going to be capable of hitting 25-30 a season from here on out, we are fine. Scoring wasn't our problem with the Rays, pitching was. Beckett, Dice-K, & Lester will get us out of just about any 5 game series, but in a 7 game series, you HAVE to have 4 solid starting pitchers. Tampa had this and we didn't. We need a solid 4th pitcher to be signed or traded for, unless the brass thinks either Bowden, Bucholtz, or Masterson are ready to fill that role now.
about 1 month ago
Scoring was indeed a problem for the Red Sox in the playoffs. In the ALDS, the Sox scored an average of 4.5 runs per game. In the ALCS, the Sox averaged 4 runs per game, including two 1-run games and one 2-run game. However, the Rays averaged just over six runs per game, despite being blanked in Game 1.
I agree that pitching is critical, and I think the Sox are lucky, and happy, to have their young pitching talent. But scoring runs is critical as well.
The Sox had no power or punch in the playoffs. They simply couldn't generate enough runs to win. The diminutive Dustin Pedroia led the team with three homers in the ALCS, and Youkilis (2) was the only other Sox player with more than one homer. When a 5'5", 150-pound second baseman is your deep threat, you've got issues. Jason Bay and JD Drew were the only Sox players to homer in the ALDS. Personally, I think the Sox got lucky in that series. I thought the Angels should have won; but they choked -- again.
about 1 month ago
Well Sean, I agree with some of what you said and not some of what you said. We did not win the 2008 World Series, or even make it that far becasue of injuries to Ortiz, Beckett, Lowell, and even Drew. What constitutes a power hitter? 20 HRs, 25, 30, 35? To me it is 25 or more. Like you said, Bay is a sure thing here and Ortiz. Drew can't play enough games to hit that many. He is solid, but hurt too much and overpaid. Youkilis has to hit 25 or more a second year before he can be considered a true power hitter. I totally disagree with your assessment, and Bill James, I guess, of Ellsbury. If he would only transfer his weight from his back foot to the front, he could easily hit 15-20 a year. He has a sweet stroke, but if you watch him, his weight stays back, eliminating much of his power and is a source of his drought at the end of the season when he hit pop up after pop up.
You are totally right about Texeira. He would not cost any players and should be signed at all cost. Hopefully, unlike Manny, Boston appeals to him. When you consider the numbers he would put up, just based on his lifetime numbers, and his defensive capabilities, not to mention his age, he is worth more than what Ramirez will command. Lugo was a Theo blunder. I look at the Tampa Rays as a model team, because they had the most complete team. They had four solid starters. We lack that. I am sorry, but Tim Wakefield should be in the bullpen in long relief. In additon to Texeira, we need a solid starter. I was hoping for Peavy, but the Braves have him. I don't see any free agent pitcher being worth the money. Unless Masterson can cut down on his walks, his spot is as a starter, not a reliever. You cannot afford a reliever who walks a batter every two innings. Bill Jame's stats can attest to this. I am hopeful that Clay Bucholz can get it back. He is a definite talent.
You know the Yankees will spend free and easy. I see an easy $140-$150 million offer to Sabathia. Then they will turn to Tex. Our issue is we drafted him out of high school and an arrogant scout turned he and his Dad against the Sox. Hopefully, he holds no grudges. This is a different regime and life in Boston is far better than New York. I do not see him resigning with the Angels, another competitor for his services. Yes, Papi, in my mind, pretty much indicated his desire to sign Tex, not in so many words. If Texeira signs, then we have to trade Mike Lowell, a consumate professional in every sense of the word. I would send him to LA with a prospect for relief help, Broxton/Kuo. Lowell, despite being 35 is solid, when healthy, is great in the clubhouse, and Frank McCourt covets Red Sox players. With peavy out of the picture, I would make a major deal that would also bring us Billingsley, a solid number four.
Despite Theo's blunders at short (why didn't we keep Orlando Cabrera?), I would go after Raphael Furcal. HIs speed at the top of the lineup paired with Ellsbury at the bottom would give us a one-two base stealing threat (double steals). It seemed when we played Tampa, they had four players who could steal at will, making a single a double. They could manufacture runs unlike us. Speaking of that, why can't most of our $10 million plus players not know how to lay down a bunt? That is another story. If you make $10 million plus, you should be able to do it all, which means bunt, hustle, and play fundamental baseball, even if you are a so-called power hitter. We don't play fundamental baseball (Where is Bill James now?) A Little Leaguer is taught better. Again, that is another soapbox, or is it. The more ways you can manufacture runs, the more losing streaks you avoid and the more wins you accumulate. I like Jed Lowrie, but Furcal can do it all.
We also need bullpen help. We should make a trade, at all costs, for one of Texas's catchers. Saltalamachia has already expressed his desire to come to BOston. Sign Tek to a two year incentive laden contract (he desrves some loyalty), let him start next year, and turn the reins over to Salty the following year.
write a new comment