Sports Final: Are Red Sox Better Off Replacing Ortiz In-House Or On Free Agent Market?
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Red Sox don't sound like a team looking to make a big splash this offseason, based on what Dave Dombrowski had to say at last week's general manager meetings in Arizona.
In terms of finding a replacement for David Ortiz's big bat in the heart of the lineup, and someone to take over at DH, Dombrowski sounds like he's ready to address that need in-house rather than on the free agent or trade market. He also made it sound like a blockbuster trade for a big-name pitcher is just a pipe dream this offseason, and his ho-hum approach was a bit surprising to those who cover and follow the team.
But The Boston Herald's Steve Buckley, joining Levan Reid on WBZ-TV's Sports Final on Sunday night, cautioned those worried about Dombrowski's comments.
"It definitely raised my eyebrows, but frequently, the GM meetings are for laying the groundwork for future trades," explained Buckley. "It's a lot of pacing and drawing lines. It's entirely possible they'll make the biggest move in baseball history, which I don't think they'll do. But I wouldn't use anything said at the GM meetings as, 'this is the way things are going to be.'"
Buckley would prefer the in-house route when it comes to replacing Ortiz at DH, and said it doesn't have to be just one player.
"In-house would be using the DH slot as a weigh station to give guys a rest. I know people want a flashy signing with [Edwin] Encarnacion, [Jose] Bautista or one of the big sluggers in baseball. But my view, the team wore down at the end of the season. Envision a DH slot where Hanley Ramirez, Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogearts -- any number of players can get a couple of days off," said Buckley. "I hate to say 'by-committee' because it brings back bad memories of 2003 with Chad Fox, and the beginning of the end of the bullpen by committee."
(Watch the full discussion in the video above, including Buckley's thoughts on Miguel Cabrera and Torey Lovullo's departure for Arizona)
If the Red Sox do want to add a bat on the free agent market, Buckley would prefer signing Bautista to a one-year deal with an option year. The 36-year-old slugger has solid career numbers at Fenway Park, with a .597 slugging percentage and .972 OPS to go with 24 homers in 66 career games in Boston.
Buckley also touched on a few offseason awards that will be given out this week, and while he believes Rick Porcello will win the American League Cy Young award, he does not think Mookie Betts will bring home the AL MVP.
"He's a great kid and you'd love to see him win it. But I think Mike Trout [wins it]," said Buckley, much to the disgust of Levan. "He had a .441 on-base percentage. Keep in mind, it is 'most valuable' player. There are all people like me and Bob Ryan who, since they call it 'most valuable,' lop off 80 percent of the players because they don't make the playoffs and we reward a guy who had a good season, maybe not a dynamic season, just because his team makes the playoffs.
"Mookie Betts, as valuable and as great as he was, was also on a team with David Ortiz, who had an MVP season," explained Buckley. "Is that [Mike Trout's] fault [the Angels were a bad team]? He had a .441 OBP for a team where he was the only guy. Wouldn't you pitch around him? He still drove in 100 runs."
Watch the full MVP/Cy Young discussion in the video below:
Tune in to Sports Final every Sunday night at 11:35 p.m. on WBZ-TV!
