The Cubs traded Carlos Zambrano? Theo is earning his money

A year ago I lumped Carlos Zambrano in a "trade trash for trash" deal scenario with the Mets. I felt that a guy making $18 million per year who needed anger management and had to be regulated to middle relief duty while hitting 30 wouldn't fetch much on the trade market.

And today not only did Theo deal Zambrano, but he actually got a 25 year pitcher with 4 years of big league experience under his belt. Chris Volstad already has a 12 win season on his resume and doesn't have Zambrano's "has he lost his God Damned mind?" baggage.

Good move Theo. He needs to tear the Cubs down to the ground and build it up. And what better way than to say "The bad contracts are out and young kids are in"?

Yeah the Cubs will have to pay for a big chunk of his contract but hey! I thought they were going to have to take junk back for him.

A title with the Cubs might not come as quickly for Theo as it did in Boston... but if flipping Zambrano to Volstad is any indication, it will eventually happen in Chicago.

(You know... just like it was going to happen with Leo Durocher, Dallas Green, Dusty Baker and Lou Piniella.)

I will write a lot more about Tito and Theo...

I will write a LOT on this subject. But you will excuse me that I am actually interested in the teams that MADE the playoffs, not the former pennant contenders imploding from within.

But I'll say 2 things right now:

1) The character assassination of Terry Francona is despicable. To try and portray him as a pill popping bad husband is deplorable. To bring his son fighting over seas is disgusting. I will root for whatever team will hire him. (I think he should go to Washington.)

2) Epstein has had a rough few years but before everyone throws him under the bus and says how rotten he is, can he get some credit for the moves that put the Red Sox over the top in ways we NEVER imagined?

More later.

Some cold Fenway years are coming

I had really hoped that I'd be talking about Game 1 and 2 versus Texas and how the Red Sox fared.

Instead I am looking at an aftermath of a collapse so horrible that we Red Sox fans are thinking "How did THIS happen again?"

(And Braves fans are thinking "Thanks for deflecting attention away from us.")

Now there is a logical way to look at The Great Collapse of 2011.
The team's pitching staff was thin. Buchholz and Dice-K were hurt, Wakefield is done, Lackey is a bust and Andrew Miller showed why the Tigers and Marlins gave up on him.

Throw in some key injuries (Youk and Drew) and an inconsistent Lester down the stretch (and a shockingly awful Daniel Bard) and you have a lousy September.

Logically you look at it and say "Get rid of some deadwood, use the money coming off the books from Drew and Dice-K for arms but don't get seduced by a Lackey deal again."

Instead what is the aftermath?
Francona is gone.
The clubhouse is fractured.
Some of the not exactly cuddly personalities are running the asylum.
Theo, whose post 2007 record hasn't exactly been sterling, is escaping blame.

And no doubt Papelbon, Ortiz, Wakefield, Varitek and others will be gone soon.

Get used to John Lackey in a Sox uniform.
Don't expect Carl Crawford to go anywhere.

Someone else will be the manager.

This era is over. And with it be prepared to have some lean times and some REALLY embarrassing baseball.

Look at the Cubs and Mets. Big budget and big market teams who can't put a winner on the field. Two teams hamstrung by the "We just went for it" contracts of a few years ago. The managers have gone as have the post season appearances.

That's going to be the Red Sox starting in 2012.
Expensive, not competitive and hard to watch.

Oh I will root for them and hope to be surprised. But everything is pointing to a bunch of empty Octobers in Fenway.

The best teams I remember seeing in my life include the Yankees, Royals, Phillies and Dodgers of the late 1970s, early 1980s... the Mets of the mid 1980s... the A's from 1988-1992, the Blue Jays from the mid 1980s through the 1993 World Series... the Braves from 1991 to 2005... and the Joe Torre Yankees.

They all ended.

This era for the Red Sox is ending.
There will be another Red Sox champion. Maybe Pedroia and Ellsbury and Lester will be the veteran champions who lead that team.

But it won't be soon.
This is Philadelphia's time to shine.

And someday soon they will return to earth.
Just like the Sox did.

Hey Theo... put the phone down

Mike Lowell made your job a little easier.

He's probably going to hang up his spikes after this season... so to try and trade him will be kind of a hard sell.

"Hey, how would you like a part time right handed hitter who doesn't have his old mobility?"

"Um... maybe not THIS year."

"Well you have to act now because he is going to retire in 5 months."

You'd get more for the sequel rights of Pluto Nash.

It was a nice idea over the off season to try and get a prospect for Mike, but alas his health conspired against that idea.

So instead of trying to get a backup outfielder who will probably rot on the bench for the Lowell Spinners or pick up cash considerations that couldn't pay for the coffee creamer in the clubhouse, why not just keep Mike Lowell around?

Everybody loves the guy. He's a World Series MVP. And if he is going to retire, why not have him retire as a Red Sox for real instead of signing a one day contract like Nomar!

There's a novel thought! Have someone AVOID the Ungrateful Exit from the Red Sox roster!

The Adrian Beltre signing is wicked smart

The Red Sox are just a few years removed from a World Series title, but also coming off of a humiliating sweep in the Division Series (including a heart breaking elimination in Fenway.)

In the off season they pick up a slick fielding third baseman whose power has mysteriously disappeared. And along the way jettison their previous third baseman... the one who was a huge post season hero... the one who helped deliver a World Series title.

Now am I talking about the Red Sox bringing in Adrian Beltre to replace Mike Lowell?

Or am I talking about Mike Lowell replacing Bill Mueller?






Sox fans can't and shouldn't get swept up in nostalgia.

I love Lowell... hell I loved Mueller.

But Lowell was hurt for chunks of 2008 and 2009 and is having thumb surgery.

Say what you want about Theo, but he knows when NOT to get sentimental.

The Red Sox are as cold hearted and vicious as the Yankees are underratedly sentimental.

If he was sentimental, he would have offered Nomar 5 years back in 2004... and that contract would be just coming off of the books.

If he was sentimental Pedro, Mueller, Millar, Damon and Manny would all have gigantic unmovable contracts... and the likes of Beckett, Dice-K, V-Mart and yes even Lowell wouldn't have worn the Sox uniform.

It's better to have a guy help you win the World Series and break down or get suspended on someone else's dime.

You want to see what a team looks like that has big name players but also a lot of veterans breaking down? MEET THE METS!!!

Plus Beltre is signed to a one year with an option contract... in other words "Have a monster season and you'll get a BIGGER deal next year!"

This off season for the Red Sox has been deceptively solid.

Think about the moves that have been made...
John Lackey... Mike Cameron... Adrian Beltre... Marco Scutaro...

What two things have the Red Sox improved?

That would be the pitching and defense, which I am going to go out on a limb and say is kinda sorta important.

I've seen enough Red Sox teams that can mash the ball but not pitch or catch it.

Now the Red Sox have Beckett, Lester and Lackey in the rotation... three guys who have pitched and won a World Series clincher.

Throw in Buchholz and Wakefield...

And if Dice-K comes back, it will be like acquiring a 15 game winner for nothing (except that posting fee!)

And also take a look at the fact that the big prospects and young players like Buchholz, Bowden, Ellsbury, Bard, Westmoreland, Kelly, Tazawa, Anderson, Fuentes, Rizzo and Iglesias are all still in the organization.

And with Bay skedaddling they'll still be picking in the first round.

So if Lowell gets dumped or bench, we should all salute him, then get right back to the business of rooting for the Sox and waiting to see if Beltre can be the third straight Red Sox third baseman/World Series hero.

(Never forget... I loved the Gagne deal when that happened... so this could all suck.)

Penny finally shows his worth

Brad Penny wasn't worth his last name as a pitcher for the Red Sox... and he did the honorable thing. He took one for the team and asked for his release.

Basically committed baseball hari kari (not Harry Carey.)

Maybe Theo should have listened to Larry Bowa!

Once Teixeria skedaddled to the Yankees, the Red Sox did the smart thing and not simply throw money at someone else to respond to the Yankees.

They kept their money and their draft picks and went bargain hunting.

And in came Takashi Saito, John Smoltz, Rocco Baldelli and Brad Penny who combined are paid $9 million less than Teixeria is this season.

Saito is a mop up man, Baldelli is a seldom used injury riddled 4th outfielder and Smoltz and Penny got released.

Sometimes you can find something great in the bargain bin, but most of the times there is nothing but cheap crap.

At least Penny knew he was cheap crap. 

Watch him go to the Cardinals and throw a no hitter. 

It's like the Red Sox made a great trade

The Red Sox had a rotten DH going into the Yankees series on June 9.

He had 2 homers, was batting .197 and had an OPS of .596.
It was a hole in the lineup who left the equivalent of a small county on base.

His very name in the lineup made Red Sox fans squirm.

Then they swapped that DH for a new DH...

Suddenly the new DH blossomed! He homered twice against New York.

Since June 9th, the new DH has batted .342 with 5 homers and 11 RBI... including a go ahead 3 run bomb tonight.

It's a great deal... crappy David Ortiz for awesome David Ortiz!

Man, that Theo is good!

Penny for my thoughts

The Red Sox picked up a big burly guy who gives his team a chance to win, seems like a good guy to have in the clubhouse, has a winning record and has October experience.

And he is rumored to be dealt before you finish reading this sentence.

Yes I know John Smoltz looks strong and Clay Buchholz is waiting in the wings... 

But why is it such a tragedy to have a lot of pitching?

When was the last time you heard a contender grumbling about having TOO much pitching?

What are we trading for at this point?

A shortstop? Nick Green has been playing well, Jed Lowrie is about to come back and even Julio Lugo has had a few good games recently.

An outfielder? I'm fine with Bay/Ellsbury/Drew with Baldelli and Kotsay in reserve. (And Jonathan Van Every in Pawtucket.)

A hitter? Well it looks like Papi might be finding his groove. And one of the reserve outfielders can start and Drew can DH if necessary.

A catcher? Varitek and Kottaras are doing the trick fine right now.

So where is the glaring need for a trade right now?

Why not hold off, have the horrible problem of a lot of pitching and see if there are any major injuries down the stretch?

Then again, at this point I just trust Theo.

If I woke up tomorrow and saw Theo dealt Pedroia for a Class A reliever I never heard of, I'd have to say "Well, he knows what he is doing."

Keep doing that Papi... you might pull something

People think I am kidding when I say we need to fake an injury with David Ortiz.

I couldn't be more serious. At this point, if he knicks himself shaving, I want Papi on the 60 Day DL!

Papi on the disabled list I think will start a great domino effect for the Red Sox that could put the Sox in great shape for the long haul.

STEP ONE: 

David Ortiz, one of the great sports heroes in Boston history, is on the 60 Day Disabled List. 

Official reason: 

He had a bad dream last night.

STEP TWO: 

Clay Buchholz (Remember him? Our next ace?) is summoned from Pawtucket where he is 3-0 with a 1.30 ERA.

He is inserted into the rotation.

(I always have to check if it is two C's or two H's!)

STEP THREE: 

Brad Penny is dealt. Yes his 5-1 record looks sexy but his 5.96 ERA and Larry Bowa's rant about his work ethic paint an uglier picture.

However the Sox are in a unique position. His last few starts haven't been bad and it seems like every single team is drooling for pitching.

Peavy is out there (but he's evidently a smidge picky.)

And there is Cliff Lee as well.

Other than those two, who else is really up for grabs? How many people have a pitcher that in 2007 finished third in the Cy Young vote available?

Plus with Peavy not going to an East Coast team, maybe the Red Sox can get the Phillies and Mets scared of each other and pry away a quality minor leaguer.

(Brad Penny is better than Victor Zambrano. I wonder if they have another Scott Kazmir down there!)

STEP FOUR:

Trade for a young position player.

Imagine swiping a good young position player from, say, the Mets. 

Let's say a young third baseman... or a swift outfielder...

Then imagine that player joining the young nucleus with Ellsbury and Pedroia et al.

And then imagine shifting Mike Lowell or J. D. Drew to the DH slot where they can just concentrate on hitting rather than risking injury in the field.

STEP FIVE:

Activate John Smoltz and have him scare the Bejesus out of the young pitchers.

It's always a good thing to have a future Hall of Famer hanging around who was a Cy Young caliber starter AND reliever.

Boom!

You've shored up the rotation, the line up and keep either Drew or Lowell healthy all year.

And all you need is Big Papi to pretend he's hurt!

Come on! The checks will still clear!

Night is day... Up is down... and Julio Lugo is good

Has anyone else noticed that Julio Lugo has played really really well since coming off of the DL?

Is that a sign of the apocalypse?

I mean isn't it a fact that Lugo is one of Theo Epstein's rare missteps?

Wasn't his 4 year $36 million contract worthy of constant head shaking?

Didn't we all give a sigh of relief when Lugo got hurt last year and Jed Lowrie started playing full time?

Now he's batting .333?
He has an OPS of .866?

He had a 5 hit game the other day and made a few nice defensive plays?

He seems to be on base when homers are hit?

How strange is this? When I saw Gil Velasquez in the game last night, I thought "Oh no! What happened to Lugo???"

If this works out and Lugo winds up having a terrific season, I will believe that Theo is incapable of error.

I don't even know Dayan Viciedo, but I want him!

Call me Dayan Viciedo's Biggest Fan!

I never heard of him until a few minutes ago.

According to Jeff Passan, this 19 year old third baseman, Dayan Viciedo, looks like a star.
According to Alexi Ramirez, the White Sox rising star, Dayan Viciedo is the real deal.


Now I want the Red Sox to throw everything but Ted Williams' frozen head at him to get him.

Why am I so gung ho about this guy and not say Mark Teixeria or Derek Lowe, trading for Matt Holiday or even the return of Manny?

Because I like what the Red Sox are doing.
I like that they are getting younger and piece by piece getting a team together that has only played major league baseball in a Red Sox uniform.

Instead of getting older and more expensive, I want a younger and more exciting team.

AND as I wrote earlier, we need to get ready for a post Papi/Manny world.

And I'd rather do it by taking a chance with someone who could come up as a Red Sox rather than swipe an aging star.
He may not be Papi (who is? Or more to the point who was?)

But an exciting third baseman with some pop filling out the home grown infield of Youk at first, Pedroia at second, Lowrie at short and Viciedo at third...

And the Sox don't even need to have it happen right away.
Mike Lowell can stay at third, or maybe bring back Millar and move Youk back to third while Viciedo gets some seasoning at Pawtucket.

Look, of course he can fail.
Of course the Red Sox could throw a lot of money at him and he becomes a bust.

But isn't it worth the risk?
Isn't it worth it for the possibility of a dynamic star in the infield locked up for at least 6 seasons?

How is it more of a risk of the dough thrown at Edgar Renteria, Julio Lugo and Matt Clement?

So come on, Theo!
Open up the vault!

Imagine those Viciedo t shirts flying off the rack.
Don't let the White Sox beat us to the punch.

Use the money and use it well.

Be more than an Evil Empire... be a SMART empire.

And let's figure out how to pronounced Viciedo.
And get him a good nickname while we are at it... like Yaz Viciedo!