Sox blow it up!

[Bosibus]

I am glad to not have to face A-Gon for the rest of the year in our playoff push. I still cannot believe this deal actually got done.

[snatch311]

To me, it's a great move for the Red Sox.

They can go out and sign Hamilton with that cash.

[fearthenoodle]

They can go out and sign Hamilton with that cash.

That sounds like the kind of deal that got them into this situation.

[Teddy OBP]

All hail the powerful wizzard of Andino

This. It's amazing what one hit can do. 162 just continues to grow in legend...it just might be the game that sent the Sox back into the WS wilderness for decades again. They'll have the payroll but they won't have DD and Epstein to build it up again.

[snatch311]

That sounds like the kind of deal that got them into this situation.

If you say so. In that one trade, they saved more money than the Orioles had committed to their entire roster.

Why should we celebrate them trading two horrendous contracts? Those were going to cripple that team for a long time. They would've had to pencil Crawford in at LF for YEARS. Yes, they lost Gonzalez, but big deal. It's not like they can't just go out and sign another player of his caliber.

They also got two top prospects and some fringe depth.

[fearthenoodle]

Paying a 32-year old recovering drug addict who has admitted that he doesn't know how many more years his body will hold up $20M a year for 5+ years seems... unlikely.

[fearthenoodle]

And I'm not suggesting that this is reason for celebration (though it can't hurt to play them in September without Gonzalez). But it's not as easy to reload as it used to be for Boston. Teams like Detroit, Texas, Philly and now both LA teams and maybe Miami are willing to spend big in free agency and have the money to do it. It is NOT just Boston and New York anymore. Plus, more and more teams are locking up young stars before they reach free agency. The FA pool is smaller, and the pool of teams willing to spend is larger.

The two best FAs this offseason are Hamilton and Greinke. Greinke comes with his own potential issues if he were to sign in Boston.

Yes, they got some potentially talented young players, but nobody really knows how good they are until they reach the majors and prove they can do it in the AL East. If nothing else, this likely brings Boston back down closer to the level where the Orioles (and Toronto and Tampa to an extent) operate for at least the next year or two.

[dorfmac]

Yes, I get the Crawford part and believe the coup part...if I were the Red Sox I would be parting ways with Valentine before Gonzalez. It seems to me that their pitchers had their best success under John Farrell, who might be swayed to part ways with the Jays and come manage the Sox.

What kind of precedent do you set if you get rid of the manager over the players who have been undermining the manager all season?

The problem (well, one of the problems) with the Red Sox is that the clubhouse was given too much power under Francona. The reason they brought in Valentine was to whip everyone into shape. He's been doing that, the players have been whining about it.

Ultimately, whatever brings the Red Sox more dysfunction is what I support, but I have to side with Valentine on this issue.

[weams]

What kind of precedent do you set if you get rid of the manager over the players who have been undermining the manager all season?

The problem (well, one of the problems) with the Red Sox is that the clubhouse was given too much power under Francona. The reason they brought in Valentine was to whip everyone into shape. He's been doing that, the players have been whining about it.

Ultimately, whatever brings the Red Sox more dysfunction is what I support, but I have to side with Valentine on this issue.

Plus the Dodgers are their competition for any new FA's, they are like drunken sailors out there with all that insurance cash sitting around. SO yeah, to try to reload through FA is going to cost them a ton.

[TonySoprano]

All hail the powerful wizzard of Andino

Chris Davis striking out Gonzalez likely sealed AGON's fate. Ain't the chowdah cold, hon'?

[Dipper9]

Make a strong push for Elsbury this offseason, move Jones to left?

I also would look into what it would take to get Pedroia. The guy obviously doesn't like Bobby V, and with a rebuild going down, he may want out. Who better to take BRob's spot than his best buddy Pedroia?

[SilentJames]

If the Red Sox are going to go the full-on development route, that is great. Because the Red Sox will have to deal with the inevitable busts and learning curves.

This trade is a massive shift in the American League. The power is shifting to the west coast.

[connja]

Im not sure this does't make the Red Sox a better team THIS YEAR. Becket and Crawford gave them absolutely nothing this year....in fact Becket was hurting them every time he took the mound. Removing them is subtraction by additon. Gonzo was not bad....but certainly not having a typical Gonzo year. Replacing those 3 with a pitching prospect who could come in and easily be better than Becket right off the bat, a couple other good prospects, and a guy who can be servicable at first, all while removing all that conflict and bad feeling from the locker room? This was a coup for the Red Sox. Dodgers just bailed them out of years of misery. And could have helped them this year as well.

[TradeAngelos]

Make a strong push for Elsbury this offseason, move Jones to left?

I also would look into what it would take to get Pedroia. The guy obviously doesn't like Bobby V, and with a rebuild going down, he may want out. Who better to take BRob's spot than his best buddy Pedroia?

Teams that have the capacity to spend $150-$175 million a year on payroll dont rebuild. They also don't let their best players in their prime leave town. Cost is irrelavent, especially when they only ave $40 million in salary committments for 2013 and beyond.

It is nice to dream though.

[clarence]

I think the Red Sox come out of this deal in great shape. Can't believe they were able to get rid of both contracts for AGon. From a LAD perspective, Beckett will probably be reborn facing those NLWest lineups.