Could Creative Thinking Lead to Beltran?

Sometimes the best trades are the one's that weren't the most apparent to the public prior to them going down. Like the deals that brought Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling to Boston previously or the deadline deals that sent Nomar Garciaparra and Manny Ramirez out of town for positive gain, the current Red Sox front office's ability to think creatively around trade options has done them well. The fact that Theo and team made a compelling offer at the deadline for Felix Hernandez only cement the point that the "obvious" trade, at that time Halladay, isn't always the only, or the best, option. The hard think about writing about "those kind of deals" is that until they are whispered, it is complete conjecture. Without inside information on the other team involved, it would be hard for anyone in our shoes to lend credence to any particular move. That said, one whisper that caught me thinking this weekend comes from Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald.

Red Sox Offseason BluePrint v.3 : Gonzalez, Holliday, Harden, Sheets

With respect to both Evan and Mike's blueprints and analysis preceding me, I chose to take a slightly different direction with the 2010 Red Sox. I think Theo Epstein and company will be aggressive this off season. No matter what you heard at the end of the season in the "season wrap" press conference from Epstein, I think he's learned from his mistake last hot stove in letting Mark Teixeira slip through their fingertips. While I believe that Theo would rather spend his chips and time trying to pry a young, talented and under team control starter to slot in at the top of the rotation with Lester and Beckett (i.e. Felix Hernandez), I don't believe that will be the route that the Red Sox take given the prohibitive ask that it would take to swing that deal. Trade Clay Buchholz, Lars Anderson, Manny Delcarmen, and Michael Bowden to San Diego for Adrian Gonzalez Instead, despite reports that the San Diego Padres aren't looking to shop their star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez this off season, I think that is exactly where Theo and team will level their gaze, rebuilding their team around a player with nearly all the strengths that they missed out on with Mark Teixeira at a fraction the cost.

Fireside Chats #64: Where we put the 2009 Red Sox out to pasture

Paul and I take a little time to wallow in the misery that was the end of the Red Sox season. You'll find a little bit of ALDS analysis, at least as much as we can muster, along with a look back at the 2009 season as a whole. We'll give out our MVP award as well as talk about our goats of 2009. All that and more on this episode of Fireside Chats after the jump...

Tim Looks Forward with Toucher & Rich on 98.5 The Sports Hub

While I wish my second appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub was ripe with analysis of a potential Game 5 in Anaheim instead of eulogizing the Red Sox season and looking forward to 2010, it's always fun to talk Red Sox with Toucher & Rich. To summarize; I like Alex Gonzalez at SS for one more year and have been talking myself into Matt Holliday over Jason Bay (but I reserve the right to change my mind again). While the words Joe Mauer were referenced in relation to Mike Silver's latest post, I still see Mauer staying in Minnesota or getting the world from New York....but I too like to dream.

Fireside Chats #63: Where we lick our wounds and call for the wolf

Episode #63 Hosts: Paul Testa, Tim Daloisio Guests: none Ok. Game One is now nothing but a distant memory. Join Paul and I as we take a quick look back at Game One, but more importantly a look forward at Game Two as we call for the Wolf (Josh Beckett) to come clean things up in Anaheim. All that and more on this episode of Fireside Chats after the jump...

New Poll: Will Beckett step up in Game 2?

New Poll Question: What do you expect out of Josh Beckett tonight? [more after the jump]

Owned in Anaheim

As often happens when the Red Sox venture out West for a playoff series (as often happens), there's no more painful post to write than the one scheduled to hit the wires the morning following a late night start like we had in Game One of the ALDS - except of course the post following a game that saw the Red Sox hit their side of the Win Probability ledger only for one fleeting at bat the night prior. That chart pretty well sums up the Red Sox offense all night against Angels starter John Lackey; flatline.

Fireside Chats #62: Where we prime the pump for the ALDS

Episode #62 Hosts: Paul Testa, Tim Daloisio Guests: Peter Abraham, Boston.com The playoffs are finally upon us! Paul and I beat the "series preview horse" to over the head a few more times and call on the esteemed Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe and Boston.com to help us out. *editors note - Joe Haggerty was kind enough to come on with us as well, only to have his interview lost in the netherworlds on the Internet. Joe will never get those twenty minutes of his life back, so for that....we apologize. Both Paul and I see the series going four games and sending the Red Sox off to face the Yankees in the ALCS. Find out why on this episode of Fireside Chats.

Tim on 98.5 The Sports Hub with Toucher & Rich

I had the pleasure of talking Red Sox with Toucher and Rich this morning on 98.5 The Sports Hub (http://www.985thesportshub.com). Here's a copy of the 12 minute or so conversation. I think I handled my self fairly well, especially went trumped by a question or two on details of pieces that Evan or Mike wrote. Rest assured, my "on my feet answers" weren't far off from the original analysis. I'll be better prepared next time (assuming there is a next time....seriously guys...call me anytime).

Answering Kurkjian’s Questions

In his preview of the Angels/Red Sox impending match up, ESPN's Tim Kurkjain asks five questions about the series. *What is it about the number five that makes it so tidy for lists of this sort? Here are my responses to Tim's questions. Consider this answers from one Tim to another.