POLL: One person only

New Poll Question: If you could only have one player of the list, who would it be?

• Jason Bay
• Adrian Gonzalez
• Matt Holliday
• Felix Hernandez
• John Lackey

What if it comes down to one person? Who would you opt for? Vote in the poll on the sidebar.

Assessing Boston’s other left field candidates

Jason Bay. Matt Holliday. Jason Bay. Matt Holliday. Matt Holliday. Jason Bay. Jason Bay. Matt Holliday. Matt Holliday. Jason Bay. Okay, let's take a break from the two obvious left-fielder candidates and focus on other free agents that could be manning left field for the Red Sox in 2010. I'm thinking that Theo's going to give this club another run with a fill-in left-fielder because as comprised, the team is still very good. As comprised, the team can still hit 95 wins -- if things go right. To compete in a transition year, however, we're going to need a left-fielder that can produce.

Coveroo TRIVIA: Honoring Cy Young

How was Cy Young honored in August 1908? (Two specific actions happened.)

Aroldis Chapman or Yusei Kikuchi: A fit with Boston?

Today, we're going to look at two rookie pitchers that are testing free agency. One is certain to join a major league team. The other... not so much. The former is Aroldis Chapman. Chapman is believed to be 21 and is a left-hander out of Cuba, defecting this past July. If you watched the WBC, you would have seen Chapman represent Cuba. There is no question that Chapman has electric stuff -- he holds the record for fastest pitch in Cuban history, being clocked at 2012. He's also been called one of the three greatest pitchers currently not in the major leagues along with Yu Darvish of Japan and new National Stephen Strasburg.

The Science of Selling Felix, A-Gon Short

In our versions of an offseason blueprint the Red Sox could follow (1, 2, 3) one topic that came up fairly often was how realistic or unrealistic our proposed trade packages were for certain players. Let's recap: Mike Lowell, Casey Kotchman, Clay Buchholz and key minor league pieces (defined as anyone sans Kelly, numbering two) for Felix Hernandez. Money comment: Getting King Felix would be nice, but you are crazy thinking Seattle would have any interest in picking up Lowell or Kotchman. Why would they pick up $16+ in salaries? Lowell is going nowhere unless we pay his salary, which is crazy. - MEe Clay Buchholz, Lars Anderson, Manny Delcarmen, Michael Bowden, two "second-tier" prospects to San Diego for Adrian Gonzalez. Money comment: Delcarmen is a stiff. Bowden is a stiff. Anderson has done NOTHING in the minor leagues. Clay Buccholz has major league stuff but has yet to prove himself for an entire season. For this you'll get one of the best young power hitters in the game? I think not!! - Nick If our proposed deals are not up to snuff, that's not good. Let's try to figure out what a proposed deal could, should be.

Coveroo TRIVIA: Hall of Fame manager

When was the last time the Red ox had a manager who was either a current or former Hall of Famer? Who?

Red Sox Offseason Blueprint v.1: Figgins, King Felix head to Boston

Today is the first in a three version series on an offseason blueprint the Red Sox should follow. What should their starting lineup and pitching staff look like entering the 2010 season? I'll take a look at one possible scenario while Mike and Tim follow up with their own in the next two days. Before I jump in, let me clarify something important: this is not necessarily a prediction of what the Sox will do, nor an endorsement of a particular path. All this is is simply food for thought. What possible scenarios could Boston pursue? Well, this particular one involves three major names being added to the team while losing Clay Buchholz.

Did you see Sox failure coming? I did

It may seem silly for me to contend that I saw this short exit by Boston in the postseason coming given I picked Boston to win the whole shebang in 7, but... I'm not in the least bit surprised by what happened. I think part of the reason why I didn't really talk about it and hedged in person about the Sox's chances is because I didn't particularly want to admit it. Oh, make no mistake: This was a World Series-caliber team, and I'm singing a different tune this morning if Jonathan Papelbon had any clue that you can't just throw a fastball and expect to get away with it. But this was also a team that could exit stage-left rather quickly. The bats went cold, the starting pitching was decent enough, and the bullpen was solid -- but nowhere the fearsome combo it was earlier in the season. The big thing, for me, though? What really got me is the lack of energy I saw with the team.

POLL: Biggest Sox need?

New Poll Question: What is the Red Sox's biggest need?

• A legitimate No. 3 SP
• An above-average shortstop
• Another power bat..somewhere...anywhere!
• Retaining Jason Bay
• Nothing; it's OK to lose in the postseason sometimes

You tell me. Vote in the poll on the sidebar.

10/11: This feels familiar