Bowden and Reddick’s Place in the Master Plan

Two of the Red Sox' biggest prospects, Michael Bowden and Josh Reddick, had less than stellar seasons in 2009. While the pair still remain tremendous talents, it has now become more difficult to see either one in the Sox' future plans, due in part to their failures this year as well as the team's changing circumstances. Still, should either or both pan out as originally expected, they would be quite the addition to a team in need of an infusion of cheap, young talent. Michael Bowden It’s hard to say that Bowden is at a crossroads in his career. He just turned 23, he possesses excellent stuff, and has been great in his minor league showings. However, his 2009 was nothing short of a disaster, as he was belted in every way imaginable in every appearance he made.

Red Sox Offseason BluePrint v.2 : Holliday, Harden, Scutaro

Like most teams, the Boston Red Sox offseason will be defined by the willingness of their owner to open his wallet. Fortunately for Sox fans nationwide, Uncle John certainly has some deep pockets. However, the amount he is willing to spend will have a lot to say about the direction that this team will be headed. The prudent move by the Red Sox will be to look for incremental gains in what is partly a transitional year, while also being a year of opportunity. The club has nearly its entire 2009 starting lineup under contract, including its entire starting staff and at least seven of nine position players. For a team that won 95 games last season, that’s a recipe for success. Still, the American League gets more competitive every year, as the AL West, the Yankees, and our little brother Rays make it harder and harder to buy the Wild Card.

Billy Wagner Mulling Retirement

In what is the first curveball in an early off-season, relief ace and potential closer replacement, Billy Wagner, has been considering possible retirment. While sources close to the pitcher state that Wagner may just need a 'cooling period' to settle down after the season's end, the loss of Wagner would certainly limit the Red Sox' offseason options. Hinging on Wagner's decision are both the option to trade Jon Papelbon, with Wagner re-signing as closer, or to allow him to leave and collect two draft picks from his Type A free agent tag.

Anaheim Angels’ ALDS Roster

Mike Scioscia released his postseason roster on Sunday, giving fans even more to feast on as the postseason nears. The team will consist of 15 position players and 10 pitchers. Position Players Catchers (3) Primary: Mike Napoli Reserves (2): Jeff Mathis, Bobby Wilson While Napoli is the Angels' primary catcher, Mathis will begin the series catching Lackey - much to the Sox' benefit. Mathis is a very poor hitter (.211/.288/.308), so his free at-bats will kill any rallies when he limps to the plate. Wilson, the team's #3 catcher, will provide depth and late-inning roster flexibility.

Projecting the Angels’ Post-Season Roster

Shrowded in as much secrecy as a Cold War nuclear test or New England Patriots injury, the California Angels have yielded very few signals as to the makeup of their postseason roster. While the starting lineup is generally set, the rest of the team is in a state of flux.

There have been some indications, however, from sources close to the team of what their roster will look like in the ALDS. Most pundits agree on the following roster developments:

1) The team is confident in its first three starters: John Lackey, Jered Weaver, and Scott Kazmir.

2) The team will opt to go with either Joe Saunders or Ervin Santana in the fourth spot, though Saunders seems to be the frontrunner at the moment...

Sizing Up the Angels: The Hitters

Now that the Magic Number is down to zero (special thanks go to Texas for their Heimlich Maneuver on the Red Sox choke job), the Sox can safely prepare for the Anaheim Angels.

Make no mistake, this is not the Angels teams of past years, who had been thoroughly cooked by the Sox and served on a platter. They have a lot of advantages over the Boston club: they are healthier, have a deeper rotation (though not as top heavy), and they have momentum from four straight wins and a recent division clincher over the Rangers.

Still, with a new sworn enemy for the next two weeks, let's remove the veil from the Angels and find out who this team really is.

Where to start? Hmm... how about the sluggers?

The Sluggers

1B Kendry Morales: This guy has had one of the biggest turnaround seasons in recent memory. It looked like he was headed straight for the former-prospect label after three lackluster stints with the big club. He's been a completely different hitter in 2009, however, as he's added power and learned how to hit major league off-speed and breaking pitches (particularly the change-up and curve). He has had problems making contact this season though, which is probably the only part of his game that has regressed...

Laundry List: Lowell’s Hip, Kotchman’s Bat

Two items for today's laundry list:

1) Hope that Lowell's hip heals

2) Pray to Pedro Serrano's voodoo gods (yeah, that crazy guy from "Major League") that if he doesn't, Casey Kotchman's bat will rise from its slumber.

Mike Lowell came into this season on the heels of a revolutionary labrum surgery, one so new that it is yet to be named (that Lowell, incidentally, hopes will be named after him). As a result, he's already had one DL stint this season due to the hip and received another Synvisc injection Monday.

For Better or For Worse: Terry Francona

Wrapped in the title "player's manager" is both a complement and an insult. Personable and charismatic as to relate to players, these managers are too cowardly to make tough personnel decisions, too soft to win championships.

Yet, what is often overlooked, is that many of the greatest skippers in baseball history have managed in this style. Arguably the two best managers of the last decade have been of this "undesirable" type: Terry Francona, winner of two World Series titles since installed as Red Sox skipper in 2004, and the legendary Joe Torre, manager of the Mets, Braves, Cardinals, Yankees, and Dodgers during his storied career.

Terry Francona, in many ways, can be considered a latter-day Joe Torre. Francona, in particular, faces many of the unique challenges that Torre did, while also being among the best at managing personalities and egos in his MLB clubhouse...

NYY 4, BOS 2 – Sox Lose Early Lead as Yanks Complete Sweep

The Yankees completed their three-game sweep of the Red Sox on Sunday by virtue of a 4-2 victory in the Bronx.

The Sox got off to a quick start, striking first in the opening frame, and extending their lead to 2-0 in the third. The Yanks posted the next four runs, however, including home runs by Mark Teixeira (38) and Melky Cabrera (13).

Paul Byrd was the hard luck loser in today's match, throwing 5.2 innings before being chased in the sixth after two two-out singles. Takashi Saito came in for relief, but provided little, as he allowed both inherited runners to score on a Hideki Matsui single...

NYY 3, BOS 0 – Sabathia Unhittable, Sox Fall

On Saturday night, the Sox-Yanks rivalry added another thrilling match to their dossier.

The game was hotly contested for the first seven innings. The game was scoreless through 5 ½, before the Yankees broke through in the sixth on a Robinson Cano homer to left : NYY 1, BOS 0.

The Yankees added two more on a bloop single with two-outs in the eighth. Wagner placed a fastball on the inside corner, but Damon got just enough on it to bloop it over Pedroia's head.