Sox’ Expiring Contracts

As is customary at the conclusion of every MLB season, the Boston Red Sox are now the proud holders of a number of expiring contracts and team options.

For a team swept in the opening round of the playoffs, there is often the urge to spend big on the free agent market in an attempt to show the fans that they are committed to winning after a badly failed run.

However, this may not be the case with the 2010 Sox, as they are retaining most of their starting roster – many at excellent prices for their skill level (i.e. Lester for $3.75 million in 2010) – with significant questions at left field and shortstop only.

Now, with the end of the season upon us and free agency approaching, who will the Sox choose to keep around?

Heeeere’s your ALDS roster!

No Rocco Baldelli or Manny Delcarmen.

Sunday Notes: Wake done, Farrell staying, etc.

Happy Sunday, everyone. It’s the last day of the 2009 regular season. Mixed emotions abound… a dark winter is foretold, but the most exciting time in baseball is well within our grasp.

Let’s check out what’s going on in Red Sox land…

BOS 11, CLE 6: Bats Boost Beckett Past Indians

The Boston bats had Beckett’s back last night, in a big way. Alliteration aside, the Red Sox starter struggled through five innings, but came up with the win, his seventeenth of the season, as the Sox took a third game from the Cleveland Indians.

With only one game left in the regular season, the quiet Red Sox backs woke up, as Aaron Laffey and the rest of the Tribe’s pen were lit up, on the way to an 11-6 loss.

Defending Theo’s offseason.

One can point to one move, or non-move, that is the reason the Red Sox are so far out of the division. And that is the Yankees acquisition, via free agency, of Mark Teixeira. Had the Red Sox signed him, rather than the Yankees, it could very well have made up the difference. Maybe the two teams are tied right now, rather than 5+ games apart. Tex is currently raking at a clip of .284/.382/.557. And he’s stellar with the glove as always. His ‘WAR’ is 3.6 (3.6 wins over a replacement player).

Basically, adding Tex would have given the Red Sox the best corner infielders in the game.

But we didn’t add Tex. Instead, we decided upon saving tons of money–especially some probable dead money at the back end of Tex’s contract. And the organization felt it was best to put their stock in the players on the farm, rather than expensive veterans. Lars Anderson being the main reason why Tex wasn’t signed, as far as “players on the farm” goes.

Baldelli to the DL, Reddick recalled, Youk to the OF, Ortiz to speak

Talk about cramming info into a Quick Post headline….

Going into Yankee Stadium and as much a “do or die” series as the Red Sox have reached this season, things are off to an interesting start. Rocco Baldelli has been sent to the DL after fouling a ball off his foot in batting practice at the Trop. Josh Reddick has been recalled to take his spot on the roster. With Jason Bay out of the lineup tonight as his hamstring is still sore, Kevin Youkilis will be manning left field at Yankee Stadium.

In other news, David Ortiz will address the media regarding his positive 2003 PED test on Saturday before the game.

Red Sox waive Kotsay

Instead of disabling Mark Kotsay with his calf issues, the Sox have opted to waive him and his .257/.291/.324 line on the year. He just never could get in the groove. This opens up a 25-man spot for Adam LaRoche (and a 40-man spot for Chris Duncan).

This leaves Rocco Baldelli as the team’s only backup outfielder, but if needed, Kevin Youkilis could play left field — he has 134 innings of experience there. Tito also isn’t afraid to send him to right, with 8.2 innings experience there.

BOS 6, KAN 0: Send off

Josh Beckett capped off the first half of the season with a bang.

Sox interested in Atkins; should Sox go to 11 pitchers?

Rumors abound that the Red Sox and Colorado Rockies have discussed a deal around reliever Takashi Saito for third-baseman Garrett Atkins, making roughly $7 million this year.

The benefit to Atkins is that he would give the Sox a legitimate power bat off the bench, something the team lacks. Atkins would play first and third base off the bench, providing invaluable depth should Mike Lowell’s return prove unsuccessful.

Which brings us to a more important question: are the Sox better served with an extra bench bat or an extra pitcher?

Bailey likely to hit disabled list

Yesterday, first baseman Jeff Bailey suffered a high-ankle strain trying to make a play on Brad Penny’s acrobatic flip to first base Saturday. He’s likely to hit the disabled list, a loss given that the Sox are about to face two left-handed pitchers.

How can the Red Sox replace Bailey against left-handed starters?