Red Sox Post

Epstein Compensation. Nick Cafardo runs through potential compensation options for the Red Sox from the Cubs for Theo Epstein. What’s “significant” value – that’s the question. One’s got to think Boston has been asking for the moon which is why Chicago feels they are better off letting the commissioner decide. No one outside the Red Sox and Cubs (and they aren’t talking) knows what was said about compensation before Theo jumped ship. But letting talks drag on has enabled Chicago to trade assets that may have interested Boston (Andrew Cashner, for example). I like Cafardo’s suggestion that lefty pitcher Travis Wood (an off-season pick-up by Chicago) would be fair compensation – a decent, not top-line player who potentially could play a role in Boston’s rotation. The Cubs farm system is so thin, it is hard to see how anyone beyond OFs Brett Jackson and Matt Szczur, and SS Javier Baez rate as significant.

Three Questions. Tim Britton outlines three questions the Red Sox must answer in Spring Training.

• Who will fill out the rotation? I am picking Daniel Bard and Aaron Cook.
• Who will start at shortstop? I say, the season starts with Mike Aviles but his poor defense has the Red Sox turn eventually to Nick Punto, Jose Iglesias or someone to be acquired.
• Who will play right-field? I like the Ryan Sweeney-Cody Ross combo. It will be an improvement over J.D. Drew and Josh Reddick. In the outfield, I am more concerned with: will Carl Crawford play like a $19.5 million/year left-fielder? My hunch is no.

Farm Report. Keith Law ranked MLB’s farm systems with the Red Sox landing in the second tier at #18. Law writes Boston is “terribly thin up top.” The Red Sox are stacked in the lower minors and could move up the charts quickly if their young prospects produce. Of course, they could also wash out – keeping Boston searching in the free agent pool. Looking at the rest of the AL East: Tampa Bay #2, Toronto #3, New York #10 and Baltimore #17. That’s not good news for the Red Sox. Keep in mind Boston’s farm system has not produced an impact player since 2007 – Clay Buchholz.

Papelbon is Tops. Dave Cameron called the Phillies signing of Jonathan Papelbon the worst transaction this off-season. According to Cameron, Philadelphia overpaid and should have waited out the market – to save money to address other issues like left-field. No Red Sox move made the best 10 transactions list. The “swap” of Papelbon for Andrew Bailey and Mark Melancon at the back-end of the bullpen was GM’s Ben Cherington’s best move of the off-season.