Monday’s Links – Winter Gets Warmer

Photo by Kelly O’Connor of sittingstill.smugmug.com

The Hot Stove is heating up. Thing is, the Red Sox haven’t been the fire under the frying pan. Is it something to fret about? Not exactly. But keep your eyes open.

• There’s a lot of tantalizing guys out there on the free agent market. But the Sox must exercise self-restraint when there’s cheaper in-house options. (Sox must be careful not to block top prospects)

• Until he actually comes back, the Red Sox will assume Jacoby Ellsbury is as good as gone. That means Jackie Bradley Jr. has some big shoes to fill. (Can Jackie Bradley Jr. Replace Jacoby Ellsbury?)

• Matt Kemp is a widely-known name, but that doesn’t mean he’s a necessary player for the Red Sox right now. He hasn’t had the cleanest bill of health. (It’s hard to figure Matt Kemp would have a healthy outlook)

• With a limited market, Mike Napoli‘s biggest suitors look to be the team in Boston. He’d return to fill the largest hole in Red Sox’s lineup in 2014. (Napoli deal remains first priority)

• Boston needed a few right-handed relievers, and they got a good one in Burke Badenhop from a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. (Burke Badenhop: Underutilized and overlooked in Milwaukee)

• It was a frustrating sight to see, but Brian McCann signing with the Yankees was probably the best fit for him, in terms of ballparks. (The Yankees and McCann: A Perfect Match)

SO MUCH TRUTH