The Major League Baseball off season is a long and arduous process. It may be a more exhausting time for the front office teams than the season itself. During the off season, teams have to revamp their rosters to make them stronger while dealing with budget, projections (usually from Bill James’ Handbook) of how players will perform in the future, the minor league system, the loss of free agent players from the previous season, and figuring out what they can give up to trade for new talent without putting a hole in their own line up. It is a daunting task, and depending on your view of things, at least 22 teams fail (miserably) each year. The off season is like spending 110 days setting up a string of dominos. The effect that each move made by a front office will not be seen until April at the earliest, and each time a domino is moved, replaced, or removed there is the possibility of greatness or complete and utter failure.
After a full week of free agency in what promises to be a very busy off season for our Sox, not much has happened. The Yankees have thrown $140 Million at CC Sabathia (fat guy) and have also stated their interest in AJ Burnett and Derek Lowe, the other two big name free agent pitcher on the market. They also lost (the always infuriatingly effective against the Sox) Mike Mussina to retirement. 
Mussina was one of those guys who I hated to see take the mound against us, because even in the seasons when he wasn’t at his best (don’t forget, he was an Oriole before joining the empire) he was effective against the Red Sox. Losing out on signing him in 2000 was also the reason that we ended up with the Old Left Fielder, so in that case I’d say we got the better deal (for the first seven seasons at least).
Theo and his disciples in the Boston front office have only made one move that directly affects the Major League club so far this off season, but it is the first movement of dominos that may lead to yet another World Championship (I still smile every time I write that) when the whole thing starts to move on April 6th. The long awaited trade of Covelli “Coco” Crisp changes the look of the bench and bullpen with the addition of Ramon Ramirez, a young, hard throwing right hander who can take the seventh inning duty that Justin Masterson filled so effectively at the end of the ’08 season. A bullpen with Papelbon, Okajima, Manny, Ramirez (where have I heard of that combination before?) Aardsma and Lopez, along with whatever minor leaguer they throw in there to round out the group (David Pauley?) looks like it may be pretty good.
This puts Masterson into a state of flux where he can join a starting rotation that already features Beckett, Lester (who some people still doubt can be an ace. Seriously, haven’t we gone through all of that already?) Daisuke, and The Elder Statesman. I’m pretty happy with that set up, and that is without any added guys like Lowe who wants to return to the city where he saw his greatest glory (and also can nail more college girls than most other places). You can never have too much starting pitching.
The bench can be shored up with the expected return of Alex Cora, and the much awaited return of Kevin Millar (who can back up at first base and both corner outfield spots and would just be entertaining to have around again, giving college girls STDs). Along with Salty and another outfielder, these two give the Sox a serviceable bench that can withstand the rigors of the 180+ games in a contender’s season.
Crisp’s departure also sets in motion the changes to a lineup that was diminished at the end of last year without Mike Lowell in the lineup due to a torn hip labrum. Ellsbury is now the starting centerfielder and leadoff hitter. There is no more platoon and it is time for Jacoby to sink or swim in a position (leadoff) that has seen more change than the batteries in A-Rod’s buttplug since Johnny Damon’s mysterious disappearance at the end of the ’05 season. 
The next step is to throw money at Mark Teixeira like it is going out of style. Seriously, this guy is as sure a thing as you will find in these days. The big, switch hitting, first baseman is the ultimate prize of this free agent class (I don’t trust pitchers who get more than $100 million) because he will put up 35, 115 and .300 every year for the next 8 seasons at least, can do it from both sides of the plate, and plays a gold glove first base. Theo needs to show him (and his agent, Satan) what $200 million and 10 years in Boston would look like. The addition of Teixiera will move him into the three spot (behind Ellsbury and the 2008 AL MVP), bump Youkilis across the diamond to his natural position, place Ortiz into the fifth spot with Bay, Drew, Lowrie and The Captain (who will end up in a Red Sox Uniform for the next two seasons) rounding out the order. Ortiz should have a bounce back year with a healthy wrist and a whole season against Major League Pitching will make Lowrie the run producer that he showed the potential to be in the middle of last season.
The odd men out in this situation are the beloved Mike Lowell and the barely acknowledgeable Julio Lugo. Lowell, as much as he has been a great “throw in” to the deal that brought Josh Beckett to the Sox, becomes a movable chip in this situation, and a valuable one at that. He is owed $25 million for the next two seasons and can still be a very productive member of a lineup. That lineup should hopefully be in Texas, where they can move Hank Blalock to first base and fill Lowell into an always potent lineup (anyone who saw Charlie Zink’s first major league start can attest to that) and send us back an important piece to the future of our ball club, Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Give him two years to sit behind Tek and he will learn how to take his place properly (though Pedroia will be the captain by then). Lugo, they can give to Texas or anyone else for all I care.
No matter what happens it will be a more interesting off season than the last one. Here’s to hoping that Schilling takes the honorable way out and retires, Lugo takes the honorable way out and goes away, and Teixeira holds winning championships in a place where he will be a god over 100 extra bucks to go to the Nationals.
Believe in Theo, Go Sox.
88 Days.
Done.
