The Red Sox are on track to finish below .500 for the first time since 1997. Here’s the latest as a disappointing season winds down:
- Manager Bobby Valentine is now fighting a battle that he cannot win, opines Scott Miller of CBSSports.com. Miller writes that Valentine couldn't possibly be back as skipper in 2013 because either the Red Sox will lose patience or he will.
- In a heated interview on WEEI, Valentine characterized the 2012 season as "miserable" but said he'd definitely like to manage the Red Sox again in 2013. "If that's what I'm asked to do, that's what I'm going to get paid to do," Valentine said. He also suggested he would like to punch radio host Glenn Ordway in the face and defended himself when asked about a late arrival to a game earlier this year (highlights via Alex Speier).
- Blue Jays manager John Farrell would be an excellent hire for the Red Sox, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com writes. The Red Sox tried to acquire Farrell from Toronto twice last offseason, including once after the Blue Jays made it clear that Farrell was off-limits to teams seeking managers, Bradford reports. The Blue Jays asked for Clay Buchholz as compensation for Farrell, according to WEEI.com. Red Sox pitchers who worked with Farrell in Boston have a deep respect for their former coach based on both friendship and fear, Bradford adds.
- Farrell said yesterday he’s "unequivocally" focused on the Blue Jays.
- Ivan De Jesus Jr. wanted to get traded from the Dodgers leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports. “I wanted a fresh start,’’ said De Jesus, who was sent to Boston in the recent blockbuster trade between the Red Sox and Dodgers.
- The price tag on a potential extension for Jacoby Ellsbury would be “astronomical" should the Red Sox attempt to lock the outfielder up long term, ESPN.com's Buster Olney said on WEEI today (partial transcript via Kirk Minihane of WEEI.com). Olney said he's doubtful rival teams will overwhelm Boston with trade offers for Ellsbury, partly because he's a Scott Boras client.
If the Sox do indeed fire Bobby Valentine, one guy I’d like them to take another look at is Sandy Alomar Jr. I was pretty excited when his name came up last offseason and I would hope he’d be on their short list this one.
He was my choice in the offseason as well. Maybe I just like former catchers as managers but he seems like someone who could connect with players and get respect from them
I agree on Alomar. I’ve also heard Brad Ausmus being tossed around for the Astros, and I think he could be a decent fit with the Sox, with him growing up in New England. Intelligent catchers seem like the best candidates to be managers, when speaking in terms of former players.
Gotta go with Sandberg before Alomar Jr. Let Alomar be his bench coach.
Alomar Jr. is the current bench coach in Cleveland why make a lateral move to be the bench coach in Boston? What incentive would he have? He could just wait it out in Cleveland for a managers position, or he may get the offer somewhere else as well.
because while boston sucks, cleveland REALLY sucks.
Sandberg’s for all intents and purposes the heir to Charlie Manuel’s throne starting in 2014. I’m not sure he leaves this off season if the Phillies front office puts him on the MLB coaching staff.
Hes deff one of the better candidates but I am not crazy about him. I Like Dave Martinez more an Think Alan Trammal an a couple others would make better head coaches. Trammals track record as a head coach in Detriot was bad but it wasnt his fault they had a awful team. He brings professionalism with him that this team needs. He has respect from players every were hes gone an is the type of manager who wont take crap but at the same time get the respect of his players, the organization and the fans. He would be able to handle the media I believe an his managing skills would fit this team imo. Another guy I love an am high on is Ryan Sandberg for lots of the same reasons as Trammal. Sandberg is said to be good with helping young players develop an succeed an thats important especially when you consider our future is going to most likely have lots of prospects and young players make it to the majors in the next couple of years. Sandberg is apparently suppose to succeed Manuel in Philly but I think he would jump at the offer to manage the Sox. Farell rounds out my top 3 best candidates to manage the Sox and he is probally my #1 choice.
Varitek I believer will make a great Manager some day but hes one year removed from this team. Its to soon for him to take over as a Manager an especially this as this teams. I think 5 years from now he could become a manager an a good one. Ill Pass on Mike Maddaux as well I think hes an amazing an mybe the best pitching coach ( Dave Duncan is really good tho) in baseball but I dont think he will make a great Managers espacially in Boston. He doesnt have the chops to make it here, I think the Media an Management would eat him up, just my opinion tho.
I’ve always liked Eric Wedge to manage the Sox. He’s still under contract with Seattle but he would be easier to get from the Mariners than Farrell would be from the Blue Jays.
I have liked Wedge ever since they lost him in the expansion draft. yep.. I had forgotten about him.. interesting thought Stanley…
Absolutely agree. Although I actually think he’s doing a good job in SEA with that roster. Oddly enough it’s probably more likely Farrell gets canned before Wedge.
Wait out Farrell if he even wants to return. Bucholz? Laughable, nearly as much so as when Texas and Ryan thought Saltalamchia was worth Bucholz
Just move Ellsbury and get it over with. Give them a short, yay, or nay window to accept an extension over the winter (only way to deal with Boras) and if they refuse? make it plain to Ellsbury that he IS going to be moved if the contract is refused. Don’t make it a poor offer, but something actually fair.. 5/90-100m, maybe even a **team** option for a 6th year, but make it plain they only have like 24 hours to think it over before it is pulled and he is put on the market and traded. Whatever his worth is will be greater than the draft choice and ROSS is STILL worth 3.21m and probably can be inked before the season ends.
DeJesus? Don’t see how he intends to start over in Boston. he is buried behind Ciriaco in the depth charts and offers nothing he can’t do better.
JS, I’d only trade Ellsbury if the return appears better than what they could get from the comp pick.
As for making Ells an offer, I’d only make the qualifying offer. I don’t want to see Ellsbury on this team in 2014 under pretty much any circumstances. And for the record, I dn’t think that 5/90-100 is a “fair” offer. I think that it’s a ridiculous overpay. A 30 yo fragile speed player is just not worth that much money.
Let him walk!!!
Agree completely jackie bradley should be close by then
Why would you do that? It’s shooting yourself in the foot from a negotiation standpoint. Your deadline is going to be refused, unless the “take it or leave it” deal is something like $25m per for 10 years, which would be insane for you to offer. So all you’ve done is (a) tick off Boras and Ellsbury, who will become a distraction in the full year he’s under contract, and (b) encourage every other viable Ellsbury suitor to lowball you in trade offers, because you’ve drawn your line in the sand and “have” to move him, even if it’s for pennies on the dollar. They have ZERO incentive to deal with you, because it’s patently clear that Ellsbury will walk on whatever team has him at the end of 2013 unless he’s offered a “franchise” contract. Worst case, you (the other team) just wait a year until he’s a free agent, when you can get him for nothing other than money, since there’s no FA draft pick penalty anymore.
If the Red Sox hang on to him, the worst they can do is offer him a tender that will absolutely be rejected, i.e. they’ll get a compensatory pick for him. Why make a big stink about how you WILL trade him if he refuses? For what? Another Ivan DeJesus Jr.? Because that’s all you’re going to get in exchange for a year of a Boras client looking for Adrian Gonzalez money after you’ve backed yourself into a “we have to trade him or he’ll poison the well for a year” corner.
You tender them anyway.. No kidding, but give them the take it or leave it and market the guy..
boston isn’t going to go out and be a super contender next year and the sooner some of the crowd realizes it.. So much the better and they face it. The best course is to rebuild for 1 season from within, take stock of exactly all the cream they have at AA and high A ball and THEN perhaps make moves. Ellsbury means NOTHING to them next year, if he isn’t going to be around after 2013? get something now for him.
If you think ATM that all they can get for Ells is another de jesus jr, then u have issues we are not allowed to go into detail on this board.
Have they thought about just letting Dave Magadan manage? I know he’s a great hitting coach and is valuable there, but still…
Ellsbury is woth at most 15 million a year for 4 or 5 years. I don’t see him or Boras accepting that so I say trade him for the best pitcher you can get.
I agree, except I’d trade him for the best whatever they can get. But if the offers are too poor, just hold onto him, make him the qualifying offer, let him walk, and get the compensation draft pick.
Yes Ellsbury had 1 good year. True it was a very very good year but it’s still just 1 year
Farrel isnt worth clay. Look at what had happened to jays rotation since he has been there. Not worth tge asking price. Lets get sandberg from the iron pigs. Low key guy same mold as ventura and metheny. Better then bobby
Better THAN. Not then.
Really grammar come on doing this from a phone. Sorry.
Of course he’s not. That’s why it didn’t happen…the Jay’s knew it wouldn’t either by asking that much.I’m actually a Big proponent of interviewing Sandberg… Although all the cries for an “outside the box” candidate like Ventura and Metheny are ridiculous. It’s a pipe dream.The Boston baseball atmosphere would chew up a 1st time manager after his first boneheaded move.
That market needs a leader leader the players respect. Period. Bobby Valentine is a clown, He might as well rode into spring training juggling on a unicycle
A “leader leader”? Is that something like “leader-hosen”? or a “super” leader? or maybe a leader of leaders? or maybe the “mother of all leaders”? 😉
No, a leading leader who leads by leading with leads.
…duh
lead zeppelin
Right, because it was Farrell’s fault that pitcher’s arms were falling off after 9 pitches. What’s the excuse for last year when the pitchers remained healthy?
Fluke injuries are fluke – people need to realize this.
agreed
but if the red sox would really give anything of value for farrell i’d let him go.
Injuries happen but look at the under perfoming healthy staff. Ricky Romero has fallen apart. Yes i know only one example but lots of failed expectations in Toronto whats going to happen in Boston. It will be his fault. Fair or not itshow it works in Boston
You can’t expect everyone to have career years, every year. What about Jon Lester? Is he Farrell’s fault too? What about the career year of Brandon Morrow?
You’re just seeing something that isn’t there, man. Gotta let the dislike/hate go.
Not hate or dislike just dont want tge sox to go out and overpay for a manager who is at best a good pitching coach. Just dont think he would be the right guy bc he was a tito guy. Just not yet. Too soon. Thats all
John Farrell will be an excellent hire for Red Sox in 2013 just like Dustin Pedroia will be an excellent free agent signing for Toronto in 2013.
well done
If John Farrel has any sense at all he’ll steer well clear of that sad, dysfunctional Boston organization.
I can’t believe people blame Bobby V for these chumps. They quit on Francona and now Bobby V. I’d keep him and keep getting rid of these primadonnas.
They should have gone with Gene Lamont. He is a good baseball man and a good teacher. He has managed before, been second in charge to Leyland forever and is secure enough with himself to not to have to compete with his players for the spotlight from the fans and the media.
As a tigers fan I would be 100% for you guys taking the Gene Lamont from us. Dude is the worst third base coach I have ever seen and flipped the fans off during a game. I mean if a player had done that they would at least be fined. This guy is a mess.
Ozzie will be looking for work after this season. Blockbuster: Oz and Johnson for Bobby V and Ellsbury
I cant begin to start about how bad this is.
I still say they should just promote Arnie Beyeler. He’s been successfully managing at different levels of the minors with the organization for ~10 years, he couldn’t be a lot worse than Bobby, and would likely be a whole lot better. Plus, he’s got experience managing a lot of the guys on the team already.
Beyeler? Yes, possibly. Ryne Sandberg? Maybe, but they probably couldn’t land him. I definitely would like to see a non-headliner like those two, Alan Trammell, Eric Wedge. If they keep Valentine or go for another “prize” like Guillen (when he’s canned in October), they’re toast.
dave martinez
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Ben,
Bobby V never questioned Joe Maddon’s preparation (and it wasn’t suggested in Alex Speier’s article either). Given that Maddon has run a successful team for several seasons, Valentine was trying to point out that arriving at 4pm shouldn’t be an issue.
Arriving at the game at 4pm, three hours before the game, when you normally arrive at 2pm shouldn’t make it an issue. It’s laughable how ridiculous the media is right now w/ regards to him. Bobby V PROBABLY should let it slider but I commend him for sticking up and addressing stupid claims from the media.
It would be awesome if the Jays got either Buchholz or even Bard for Farrell
This was said by another poster, but for emphasis: Bobby Valentine NEVER questioned Joe Maddon’s preparation. That’s completely factually inaccurrate and the original post should be edited. Bobby was simply using Joe’s usual arrival time at the ballpark as a benchmark for comparison. He never said, never even implied, that Joe is underprepared.
Thanks for the fix.
Can we finally put to rest the ridiculous myth that Bobby V is a “good” manager?
And Boras will argue that Ellsbury deserves an astronomical amount of money. After all, he did have an excellent season once.
Wowzers. I think that Bobby V has lost his ever loving mind. If he really did publicly state his desire to assault another human being, and he was serious rather than joking, how can the Red Sox continue to employ him?
I mean, what the radio host said was a pretty disrespectful question/statement but the response from Bobby was way too harsh. The thing that gets me is his answer about coaching the Red Sox next year, he doesn’t seem like he wants the job at all. If the Red Sox want to fire him, I dont see why they dont just do it now and give Magadan a shot for the rest of the year.
In Valentines defense….who among us hasn’t wanted to punch Ordway in the face? 🙂 typical WEEI…create stories..
Wow…if people really thought that he was serious then they should really turn their tv to tonight’s news and get a reality check.
I’m starting to think the Sox should wait until next year’s deadline to decide what to do with Jacoby. If 2011 was indeed a fluke, that should be apparent after another half-season of a fully healthy Jacoby..and if it WASN’T a fluke..and he looks like his 2011 himself during the 1st half next year..then they can either extend him for the Boras price (which wouldn’t really be any lower this offseason anyways) or trade him when is value his high..
Why not make Dustin Pedroia the manager? It worked well for the Indians and Lou Boudreau 70- years ago. Pedroia has both the savvy and the respect.