Well, Barack won... whether you voted for him or not, there is no doubt that the next few years are going to be a lot different than the last few.
That's good on some fronts.
Might not be so good for the Red Sox.
The last 6 seasons have brought about 5 playoff trips, 4 ALCS appearances, a 12-3 record in post season games where they faced elimination, more heart stopping games and franchise defining moments than I can list and oh yeah... the World Championship we waited our whole lives for and a second World Series title to show us the first one wasn't a fluke.
But the Red Sox are at a crossroads right now and one they need to proceed down with great caution.
1. PREPARING FOR A POST PAPI/MANNY WORLD
Manny is already gone and Papi looked a lot less Papi like this year with his wrist injury.
And sluggers these days, without some *ahem* help, don't get BETTER in their mid 30s anymore.
So with the likes of Youkilis, Drew, Bay and Pedroia still in the line up, they'll score runs.
But if Papi continues to decline (not to mention Lowell) they will need to find a new centerpiece for the offense.
I would love to see them develop some pop from within.
Lars Anderson is developing into a Justin Morneau type and maybe if Lowell can't come back Youk can move to third and Anderson can come up with a right handed first baseman to platoon with him. (Possibly the return of Kevin Millar?)
I would prefer to bring someone through the farm rather than sign a Teixera (and lose draft picks.)
There's something reassuring to see this team be piece by piece rebuilt with guys who came up through the farm.
But they also need a right handed power bat to emerge as well (to replace Lowell's stick).
2. PREPARING FOR A POST LOBSTER WORLD
If you read this blog regularly, you know that the Lobster is Jason Varitek and his homer to win game 6 of the ALCS might have been his last highlight as a Red Sox.
Yeah he is the captain, but as I wrote earlier, Theo is as sentimental as Michael Corleone. And right now Varitek is in the rowboat saying his Hail Mary's.
Varitek can still call a good game, but he picked a bad time for his worst offensive season.
Not only was it a walk year, it was a year his wife walked too.
I know enough guys who got divorced to know the year they get handed their papers, they aren't likely to say the words "Hometown Discount."
With the Dodgers and Tigers as potential suitors, not to mention the Mets, Varitek will probably land elsewhere.
The Red Sox can offer him stability, loving fans and a chance to put a young catcher under his wing.
And I had suggested they offer him a player/coach position.
But not at a crazy price.
Without the Lobster, Kevin Cash will get some at bats.
Call me crazy, I know his stats this year stunk, but it seems like every time I saw him play he got a big hit (including a homer in the ALCS.) Who knows what will happen if he gets some at bats.
Stud prospect Luis Exposito is a few years away and George Kottaras looks like a better hitter than a catcher.
Maybe the Sox could pry away one of the Rangers catchers (Laird, Saltalamacchia, Ramirez or Teagarden) and have them split time with Cash.
Either way, it would be a good year for Varitek to become Crash Davis and help groom one of them.
But I'm sure the former Mrs. Lobster isn't going to give him a hometown discount!
3. PREPARE FOR MORE 2006 AND 2008 JOSH BECKETT
This is a terrifying thought for Red Sox fans... but a real one.
What if 2007 was a fluke and the real Josh Beckett is the guy who had a tendency to get smacked around in 2006 and 2008?
I mean his awesome 2007 post season means he owes us nothing, but what if that's exactly what we are going to get from him?
His 12-10 with a 4 plus ERA was nothing great last year nor was his post season.
Yeah, I know he was hurt... but he was also hurt in 2006... and never gave the Marlins more than 178 innings.
He might be a guy who put it all together in one glorious regular season and came up big in two different post seasons... but I think the idea of him playing the Pedro/Schilling role of "Bad Ass Stud #1 Who WILL NOT LOSE" might be a thing of the past.
4. DON'T PREPARE... CREATE A POST LOPEZ AND TIMLIN WORLD
I have nothing against Javier Lopez. In interviews he seems like a good guy and he has a World Series ring as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
And a casual glance at his stats, a 2.43 ERA as a middle reliever, seems like he did a good job.
Also look at his walks and hits per innings pitched. It's more than a baserunner an inning. And when you consider he is usually brought in for one batter and that's it, he was letting an obscenely high number of those single batters are reaching base.
Cherish that ring, Javy. See you at the reunion... and let's find a new lefty to come out of the pen.
As for Timlin... it's been a terrific 18 year career with 4 World Series rings (and a World Series clincher in 1992!)
But it's over.
I said that back in April and I'm saying it now. It's over. Offer him the pitching coach job in Lowell and have him work his way back to the bigs as a coach.
But his playing days are over.
The main attention in the off season needs to be to shore up the bullpen.
Papelbon, Masterson, Okajima and Delcarmen are all good... but they need 2 more arms to give it the depth they need to think of another title.
5. PREPARE FOR THE WHITEST RED SOX TEAM IN A DECADE
Seriously, are the Yawkeys back in control of the team?
I doubt it is by design... I think that Theo loves guys like Pedroia, Lowrie and Bay for their plate discipline and fitting perfectly into his offensive scheme.
But man this team is getting pretty G-D white!
When I looked to see what power prospects were on the way and saw his name was Lars Anderson, I was pretty sure he was not from San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic.
Look, I want players who are good players, not based on affirmative action.
I don't want them signing Black or Hispanic players for show.
(I hear Armando Benitez is available).
It's just odd as the team that won the World Series in 2004 was probably the most diverse team in Red Sox history and THE team for Domincan fans.
And it was terrific to see Boston embrace players of color after generations of having the reputation of being the most racially intolerant city of the Northeast.
Perhaps it is appropriate.
We have our first non white President while the Red Sox become as as diverse as the Skull and Bones Society.
Well there's a lot to do... and lots of things to hope for, including Buccholz getting his act together and Michael Bowden developing into the next star.
But they are in good shape to contend next year.
Can they put it all together?
In the words of our President Elect... YES WE CAN!
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