An off-season factor….Mike Lowell is Ahead of Schedule:

This September all of us in Red Sox Nation could feel Mike Lowell’s pain. Lowell, who was suffering from a torn labrum in his hip, played through agonizing pain and garnered even more respect points from all of us. He gave it all he could, and when we watched him barrel down the third base line to field a bunt or squibber, we cringed and then limped a little as we walked over to the fridge to get another beer.

Shortly after being left off the ALCS roster, Mike Lowell had surgery to repair his torn labrum and since then has been relatively out of the media circus that is Boston baseball. Now the third basemen and 2007 World Series MVP is sneaking back into the spotlight. Word from the Red Sox organization is that they are very happy with Lowell’s rehabilitation progress and he is well ahead of schedule. The Red Sox are now very optimistic Lowell will be 100 percent by early March.

As the likelihood of a healthy Mike Lowell for the 2009 season continues to increase, so do the implications it has on the Mark Teixiera sweepstakes for the Red Sox. Depending on what source you trust, the Sox are either a leader in chase to land the best player on the market, or they are only testing the waters by lightly inquiring about the 28 year old first basemen (ITM note: with Manny on the market I was forced to call Tex the best player available and not the best hitter...that doesn't mean that Manny isn't a complete toolbag).

The Sox face a few questions in their pursuit of Teixiera. Do they push hard, spend the extra money (including offering 7 plus years) and move Youk from first to third if can they land him? At the same time, the trade value of a rehabilitating Mike Lowell will only reach fair market levels after it has been proven that he is healthy and shows no ill effects of the off-season surgery. Some argue for keeping Lowell and platooning the three players, but they have too much individual talent for that to be truly possible while keeping everyone happy.

My personal opinion? No team will get serious about the soon to be 35 year old Lowell until the end of spring training at the earliest. That said, you have to do everything you can to make your team better, especially in the AL East. It is quite difficult to separate business and emotion when a player has given so much to a team, but Theo needs to strike the correct balance between relationship management and fielding the best team possible on opening day 2009. Tex may be an expensive/risky get (especially given Lowell's situation), but he may also be the last piece to championship puzzle.

Go Sox.

Tazawa Done Deal

The Red Sox officially announced the signing of 22 year old Japanese right hander Junichi Tazawa to a 3 year deal with a $1.8 million signing bonus.

Tazawa pitched in a Japanese amateur league for the last 4 years before signing with the Red Sox; he asked that Japanese teams not draft him so he could pursue a career in Major League Baseball. This past season in Japan, Tazwa was 13-1 with 5 saves sporting an era of .80 appearing in 21 games.

The word on the street is that Tazawa will start the year in the minor leagues, possibly in Double A affiliate Portland. He's been described as a first round draft pick, so I don't think we should expect him up with the big club anytime soon.

Multiple teams presented offers to the young Japanese pitcher, and the Rangers reportedly offered him more money, however Tazawa was only interested in pitching for the Red Sox. Growing up in Japan it comes as no surprise that he idolizes Daisuke Matsuzaka and would like to pitch with him some day.

Going Further Inside the Monster:

The winter baseball meetings start Monday December 8th; Theo and company are expected to meet with Scott Boras regarding the stable of clients he represents. General Managers and other executives from all 30 major league teams will be in Las Vegas to talk trades and free agents.

The Red Sox offered Jason Varitek arbitration which he is expected to decline in search of a long term deal. If Tek signs with another team the Sox would get a first round pick and sandwich pick between the 1st and 2nd round for losing a grade A free agent.

Tek hit .223 last year and he's a grade A free agent...try and wrap your head around that one.

In case you missed it, ticket prices at Fenway Park for the 2009 will not increase, staying at 2008 prices. Now if they could only do something about the beer prices...

Sox Lock Up Pedroia

The Red Sox and second baseman Dustin Pedroia have agreed on a 6 year $40.5 million dollar contract extension, an official announcement will come at 3pm today.

The deal is structured so Pedroia's base salary increases every year:

2009 $1.5 million
2010 $3.5 million
2011 $5.5 million
2012 $8 million
2013 $10 million
2014 $10 million

The Sox also hold a club option for 2015 at $11 million dollars. Pedroia would not have been able to file for free agency until the end of the 2012 season, so the Sox keep Pedroia happy with a long term deal that is backloaded with a modest $10 million for two years with the club option in 2015. Pedroia is the reigning American League MVP and Gold Glove winner at second base and many thought that a long term deal would follow. The option year will increase to $13 million if Pedroia wins another MVP.

Before the ink is even dry on Pedroia's contract the questions about Youkilis and Papelbon's contracts are going to asked, and asked loudly. Last spring training Papelbon made a minor grievance about his pay level, and certainly he is one of the top closers in the game. Youkilis is also under paid for his value, third in the AL MVP voting this year.

It will be interesting to see how the Sox approach contact negotiations with Youkilis and Paplebon, both players are arbitration eligible but can not file for free agency. Typically the Sox have been reluctant to give out long term deals to young players this still control without the threat of losing them to free agency.

The Sox Sign Their Biggest Free Agent: Heidi Watney

...and by biggest I mean most talented...and by most talented I mean....yeah, you get it....Heidi Watney has been signed to a multi year contract extension by NESN. NESN was beginning to treat their sideline ladies like Red Sox shortstops, however, the first runner up in the 2002 Miss California pageant will be gracing our collective TV screens here in New England for some time to come:

“Heidi is a talented reporter whose versatility and work ethic help her deliver the news and stories that consistently connect the fans with the team,” said Joel Feld, NESN’s executive vice president of programming and executive producer. “We are very happy to extend her contract and expect her to take on an even larger role with NESN and NESN.com."

Whether the Sox sign Texiera or not over the next few months, this off-season is now officially a success in my book (kidding....of course.....well, kinda).

Go Sox.

Coco on his way to Kansas City...

Red Sox centerfielder Coco Crisp has been traded to the Kansas City Royals for relief pitcher Ramon Ramirez according to MLB sources. Everyone assumed the emergence of Jacoby Ellsbury meant the Sox would trade Crisp by the trade deadline this past season, thankfully that did not happen as Crisp played a vital role this season. When Ellsbury failed to live up to the hype Crisp was there to play, and he eventually took the starting job in the ALCS.

So what are the Sox getting in return? Ramirez is 27 years old and throws in the low 90's with a lights out curve and a good splitter. Last year with the Royals his era was 2.64 and he struck out 70 in 71.2 innings and only allowed two home runs the entire season, holding right handed hitters to a .153 average.

The question has been posed are the Sox looking to move Justin Masterson back into the starting rotation, or is Hernandez taking Mike Timlin's place who presumably is retiring. I think it's too early to say either way, but I do like this trade.

Lastly I'll say that Coco Crisp could have sat on the bench and complained all season about how he wasn't getting respect, but he did not. Coco showed a lot of class and respect for Francona and the organization by accepting his role as 4th outfielder never making playing time an issue.

Overall Crisp never turned into the lead off hitter the Sox thought they were getting from Cleveland, but I wish him well in Kansas City nonetheless, he was a class act.

ITM notes:

Unnamed sources, always the best kind, say that the Red Sox are in the race for former Blue Jay pitcher AJ Burnett. Of course no specifics about what kind of deal is actually on the table, the Yankees were reportedly offering 4 years $100 million.

Burnett definitely has the talent to be a good pitcher, however he's always had health issues and has only made more then 30 starts twice in his career, both contract years I believe.

Pedroia Stands Tall....Wins AL MVP

Growing up, there was always one crazy Italian mason who would tell us "you gotta look out for the little guys, they'll fight ya until the end"...Turns out, he was right. If you would have told anyone....anyone....two years ago that Dustin Pedroia would be the AL Rookie of the Year in his first year, and follow it by earning the MVP, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger awards in his sophomore season....they would have made a joke about his height and then questioned your sanity. Dustin Pedroia is standing about 7 feet tall this afternoon.

Pedroia was named the American League Most Valuable Player at 2pm today, making him the first Red Sox player to earn the honor since Mo Vaughn in 1995 (ITM note...I still can't believe the Hit Dog's career effectively ended when he feel down the dugout stairs). It is the 10th MVP award granted to a member of the Red Sox. Justin Morneau finished second, and Pedroia's teammate, Kevin Youkilis, finished third. Here is the point breakdown:

-Pedroia: 317 points (16 first place votes)

-Morneau: 251 points (7 first place votes)

-Youkilis: 201 points (2 first place votes)

In my opinion, what won this award for Pedroia was his five-game period as the "little guy" batting cleanup...the jokes were flying around every media outlet... and all Petey did was go 12 for 18 (.667) with four doubles, two home runs, seven RBIs, and six runs scored....not to mention how significant those late season games were to a team trying to nail down a playoff spot.

Pedroia was named on 27 of the 28 American League MVP ballots. The one writer to leave Dustin off? Evan Grant, of the Dallas Morning News. Either this clown is a complete dumb ass or he has some kind of problem with people under 5'7" (I know Pedroia is listed at 5'9", 180 lbs...but we all know that is crap and more of a joke than anything). Grant's ballot included 10 players...not one of them being Pedroia....boy does he feel stupid right now. He should have his voting rights revoked.

Perhaps even more surprising than all of the above...Pedroia is taking home a salary of only $457,000 this year for his MVP numbers....including no contract bonus for winning the award (Youk takes home 25K for placing third)......something tells me the Sox will giving Petey whatever he wants to lock him up for a long time.


More on Pedroia, the Sox and the hot stove as they develop here on ITM.....

Firing Up the Hot Stove

At the stroke of midnight tonight baseball's free agency begins, grab on to something because this will be an active off season. Players like CC Sabathia, Mark Texeria, Ben Sheets, Derek Lowe, AJ Burnett, and Jason Varitek are some of the bigger names available this off season.

I wouldn't expect any big name to be signed tomorrow, but I've been wrong before and I'll be wrong again. Baseball agents tend to let the market establish itself in the off season before signing, clubs do the same.

We've already seen the first of many Scott Boras related stories, including one written write here on ITM. Look for him to be in the spot light as he represents just about every free agent there is, including Sox catcher Jason Varitek.

So what are the Red Sox plans for the off season? I think it starts behind home plate. I think they resign Jason Varitek, there is no way they give him the 4 year 52 million dollar contract Boras wants, but I think he comes back. I don't really have a problem with the Sox over paying for players because lets face it, they can afford it, but the length of Tek's potential contract could be a point of contention for both sides.

There's also been a lot of rumblings about the Sox talking to the Rangers about one of there three catchers, Gerald Laird, and youngsters Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Talyor Teagarden. Ideally I would like the Sox to sign Tek and trade for a Saltalmacchia or Teagarden, both of those names are fun to say and I would definitely buy their t-shirt jersey. However to get one of those guys the Sox would have to wave goodbye to Buchholz or Michael Bowden. But that's why you have prospects to improve your team and I think the Sox need a catcher of the future. Perhaps bringing him in now allows him to learn a thing or two (though not hitting) from Tek.

Mark Teixeria is priority 1A or 1B this off season, and its not all about the Yankees getting him, its more the Sox could really use him. Teixeria is 28 and absolutely rakes the ball, plays gold glove first base, and if signed here will have enough money to buy every fan a Fenway Frank this year. If the Sox do land Teixeria expect Youk to move back to third and Lowell to be dealt somewhere. Scott Boras also represents Teixeria so I wouldn't think he signs for a few weeks as the Yanks and Sox get in a bidding war.

Derek Lowe isn't coming back to Boston, I'm sorry he 36, loves the sauce and will probably get 15 million/year somewhere else. He wouldn't be a bad 4th or 5th option but I just can't see it. What I can see is the revival of the Derek Lowe face on center stage if he comes back. Since the Dlowe has left the sox culture has definitely changed, I don't need the Derek Lowe face coming back and keeping me up at night. Pro to Lowe coming back, I live near the city now and could possibly run into him and have a beer, or 19, with him.

The Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time since 1994 and that was the year of the strike (greedy bastards), they are going to spend US Govt bail out type of money, and like the bail out they will light plenty of it on fire and watch it burn. The Yanks will be going after Teixeria, Sabbathia, AJ Burnett, and Roger Clemens. Ok probably not Clemens but that would be funny.

Today the Yanks traded for Pedro Gomez's 2008 preseason MVP Nick Swisher...

The Angels have seemed to have cut ties with Krod, he's going to get PAID. He'll end up in with the Mets, that's your Tim Murphy Stone Cold Locke Lead Pipe Keystone Light A1 prediction, mark it zero, next frame.

And then there's a former Sox Slugger Manny Ramirez, yeah he's okay. Manny, also represented by Boras, is reportedly looking for a 6 year deal worth 25 million dollars per year. I would like to point out that 5 minutes after signing a deal like that Manny will never run out a ground ball again. Instead I imagine he'll tag in the bat boy and he'll run the bases for him, that's just Manny being Manny I guess.

The Dodgers seem serious about getting Manny back, however a 2 year deal is on the table with an option for the third. I don't see anyone giving Manny 4 years guaranteed...except the Yankees. Why because they're stupid rich, a dangerous combination. If the Yankees don't get Teixeria I think they sign Manny. I say let them, he'll probably bat 1100 against the Sox in 2009 but the potential for comedy with Manny and Hank Steinbrenner is off the charts.

Yes ITM is back, congrats to the Phillies for winning the World Series. Tampa fans can now go back to Disney World and playing bridge, whatever they did before the playoffs started.