The Next Bartolo Colon

From the likes of Wade Miller and Kyle Snyder to Bartolo Colon the Red Sox have often found value, or potential value in signing a veteran pitcher looking to right the ship after injury or at the end of their line to a one year deal and have them fill spots at the back of the rotation.

That type of insurance policy combined with an influx of youth at the tail end of your rotation has been invaluable in recent years where the Red Sox have needed their fair share of spot starts. I can remember more Julian Tavarez starts than I care to!

While the top of the rotation certainly is full of horses (Beckett, Lester, Matsuzaka) and Wakefield and the young guns (Buchholz, Bowden, Masterson) provide a solid tail, injury is unpredictable. The 2008 New York Yankees are a great proof to the theorem that you can't have enough starting pitching.

Red Sox pick up Tim Wakefield’s option

The Red Sox have exercised Tim Wakefield's $4 million dollar perpetual team option for the 2009 season. Next year will mark Wakefield's 15th season with the team.

Over that time Wake has knuckled his way to 164 wins in a Red Sox uniform, third only to Roger Clemens and Cy Young (192). On the flip side, he's given up 151 more home runs than any other Red Sox pitcher with 345 to Roger's 194.

Phillies Fix My Car

For Philadelphia Phillies fans, it was the best of times, unless you are Ted Passon, who's "best of times" turned into a "worst of times" at the flip of a switch, or in this case...car.

"Hey Philly, remember when we just won the world series for the first time in 28 years? That was great! Then my car got flipped over and that wasn't great."

Internal Affairs

Some of the biggest signings that the Boston Red Sox make this offseason might not have anything to do with new faces set to make a splash in Boston. The biggest signings to happen, or "not" to happen, may be with some more familiar faces (and no, this isn't a sign Derek Lowe and take a flyer on Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling post).

I'll throw out a few names for you; Jason Bay, Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, Jon Lester.

While each of these players is currently "under team control" for next season and in most cases beyond, each could pen to paper on a new contract this offseason. At the same time, each enters their respective negotiations with their teams under slightly different circumstances.

Building a Dynasty

In the wake of a season that ended five wins short of everyone's hopes but was gratifying in it's entirety nonetheless, the attention shifts from on field activities to the maneuvers of the front office behind the scenes.

The 2008 Boston Red Sox may not have fulfilled their ultimate organizational goal of a World Series championship, but they met a season filled with obstacle head on and emerged still one of the best teams in baseball over the course of 162 plus games.

From the exile of Manny Ramirez to the emergence of Jon Lester, 2008 proves one thing above all else, under Theo Epstein's management the organization itself is the organization's greatest asset.

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