Felger & Mazz: Peter Gammons On Approaching Red Sox Offseason
The regular season is winding down, as the Boston Red Sox play their final game of the 2012 season at Fenway Park on Wednesday night.
There are plenty of question marks that face the team as they head into another early off-season. To sort it all out, 98.5 The Sports Hub's Felger and Massarotti were joined by MLB.com's Peter Gammons to discuss the state of the Sox.
"The managerial decision will be made probably Friday (October 5), and they'll start to move on from that front," said Gammons. "As far as personal, I think it will take well up to the general manager meetings on November 10 – when they'll start to know what players they can get and what players they can't get."
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Gammons thinks the Red Sox will start off by re-signing their own players first.
"I think Ortiz will get re-done, Ross will get re-done... I don't think there is any chance Ellsbury discusses (a long-term deal)," said Gammons. "They'll bring him back another year because after being hurt last year his trade value is about half of what his 155-game ability really is. I don't think they can get two good players for Jacoby, so you mine as well play it out and have a great year before he leaves in free agency."
Ortiz recently stated, again, that he wants a respectable offer for multiple years. While the Red Sox were reluctant to give him that last winter, they may have had a change of heart.
"I think so just because this is going to be the last (contract)," said Gammons. "He was having a great year, I just think that the worth here is greater than the numbers. The offense, since he went out of the lineup, has been absolutely terrible."
So is he worth $13 million per season?
"Maybe in this city. What will happen is they'll try to get it done as quickly as possible so it's out of the way," said Gammons. "I think what they'll do is they'll move on and try to get him done as fast as possible, Ross done as fast as possible, so they don't have to go through the whole qualifying offer, hit the free agent market deal."
As for their young players, Gammons see Ryan Lavarnway starting the year in Boston, with Iglesias likely in the minors for a short grooming period.
"I think there is a chance they go into next year with Aviles and Iglesias splitting time. I think it's more likely they send him down for the first six weeks of the season to see how he hits. But I think he'll be there by late June," he said of Iglesias.
Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers is one home run short of being in the lead for the Triple Crown award. Is the Triple Crown not what it used to be? Hear what Peter Gammons has to say about that!
