Boston Red Sox add to their offensive attack with free agents Mike Napoli and Shane Victorino. How will the Red Sox spend next?
7 DecWho should the next Boston Red Sox Manager be? I like Nomar Garciaparra among others
10 OctSo who should be the Boston Red Sox manager to replace the fired Bobby Valentine? If you don’t like the Red Sox or don’t care you might not think about it, but as a Red Sox and baseball fan it does give me some curiosity and I’m sure it does you too.
I have read that the Red Sox would like to pursue Toronto Blue Jays manager John Farrell who used to be a Red Sox pitching coach and still has a year on his contract. I have also heard about interest in Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia if he he is let out of his contract or let go by the Angels. Hard to figure he has managed there since 2000, and he led the Angels to the 2002 World Series title.
I as a fan who has no knowledge or other information, has my own ideas and they involve some former Red Sox and major league players, besides the gem in the rough of the coaching ranks that only baseball insiders know.
I like former Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra now an ESPN analyst. He is a young, bright and calm baseball mind. He is beloved in Boston as a player where he played from 1994 through the middle of the 2004 season when he was traded ironically before the Red Sox won their first World Series that season in 86 years. I think he would have a great demeanor for Boston Baseball where they need a great manager who can put up with egos, talent and the pressure of the Boston baseball market where they talk Red Sox baseball all year.
I thought of former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling also an ESPN Analyst, but he is quite outspoken and likes to talk on talk radio. He might be a wilder choice than Bobby Valentine was, but he does know baseball and pitching well and is also a hero from his bloody sock performance in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS when he was hurt and won a big game against the Yankees in the legendary ALCS where the Red Sox came from 3-0 down to win. But being a former player alone doesn’t lead to greatness as a coach or manager of course. There are lots of great players who have failed and are not great coaches or managers
Other former players I thought of are Ryne Sandberg who has managed in the Cubs minor league system, Tony Gwynn who has over 3000 hits and is an excellent baseball strategist and coach. Also former Red Sox and Yankees third baseman Wade Boggs who also has over 3000 hits. These are just a few ideas among many others. I like Nomar Garciaparra the best as a choice for Red Sox manager, but you can argue he doesn’t have coaching experience. But a good baseball mind is what is needed and the demeanor to fit with the players and city. I think Nomar has this, but so do many others and a decision probably wont be made until after the playoffs. But we’ll see what happens and it is interesting discussion especially because its Boston Red Sox Baseball. Best wishes and talk soon. Bratman
A big blockbuster trade between the Red Sox and Dodgers. What will it mean for both teams?
26 AugSo what do we make of the big blockbuster trade between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday? Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to the Dodgers for James Loney and three minor leaguers including two pretty good minor league pitchers going to the Red Sox.
It was a salary cap move for the Red Sox who are out of the race this season, and the Dodgers are going for it now in the NL playoff race and taking on the big salaries. The move was basically a salary and character dump for the Red Sox.
Adrian Gonzalez paid immediate dividends hitting a home run Saturday night at Dodger Stadium in his first at bat as a Dodger. Josh Beckett, once a quality pitcher has struggled the last year or so and maybe a change of scenery will be good for a pitcher who has pitched on two World Series winning teams in 2003 and 2007.
Carl Crawford meanwhile is having Tommy John surgery, and he wont be ready until at least next season.
As a fan of the Red Sox I dislike losing Adrian Gonzalez the most, a quality first baseman and a good hitter. Hey I would have liked to get Matt Kemp or Andre Eithier in return for Gonzalez, probably wishing there, but James Loney will be a good replacement at first base. And if these minor league pitchers develop the Red Sox will be in a good situation and could go after a quality free agent or two now that some money has opened up with the moves. Remember they let go of Kevin Youkolis to the White Sox earlier this year as well.
Finally I hope that Bobby Valentine will get at least another year as manager. The team he inherited wasn’t his or GM Ben Cherington’s, and was left over from the previous GM Theo Epstien and manager Terry Francona whose team collapsed in the pennant race in September 2011.
Say what you want about Valentine who has an eccentric and somewhat volitale style. He is a good baseball man though and if he and the Red Sox can get their team together and play well then good times may be ahead in Boston, and winning cures most all. So we’ll see what happens and talk soon again. Enjoy the pennant race. Best wishes. Bratman
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