Tag: Dave Dombrowski

Red Sox Ready to Release Hanley Ramirez

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The Boston Globe – According to a major league source, the Red Sox informed Ramirez Friday morning that they will designate him for assignment in order to open a spot on the major league roster for Dustin Pedroia, who is returning from the disabled list after his rehab from offseason knee surgery.

The Red Sox are responsible for more than $15 million remaining on Ramirez’s salary through the duration of this season. They will have seven days to trade or release him.

rudy giuliani wow GIF

I did not expect Dealer Dave to drop this bomb the Friday before Memorial Day weekend. Sure, Hanley’s had a tough week. He’s hitless in his last five games, but he did have a hit in ten of his last eleven games before this skid. How bad could things really be going for him?

Well, Hanley’s batting average for the month of May is .163. His batting average stood at .330 on April 30, but today stands at .254. His OPS on the season stands at .708. The only Red Sox regulars with a lower OPS are Eduardo Nunez, Jackie Bradley and whoever the hell the catcher is on a given night.

The Red Sox had the luxury of having three guys for two positions essentially. Hanley, Mitch Moreland and J.D. Martinez were sharing time at first base and DH. With Martinez locked in at the plate, and under contract for four more seasons, and Moreland playing better for much less money, Hanley was the man left standing when the music stopped in this game of musical chairs.

Sure, the Sox could play Martinez in the outfield more to get Bradley out of the lineup and to get Hanley in as the DH. But Jackie Bradley plays superb defense and is not 300 plate appearances away from $22 million next year. Bradley’s a younger, cheaper option with more upside.

The Red Sox have a week to trade or release Hanley. It’s hard to imagine any team trading for him, and taking on more salary than they need to. If they wait a week, they can pick him up for a lot cheaper and leave the Red Sox on the hook for most of his salary. And it’s hard to imagine that Hanley’s Red Sox career isn’t over. I don’t see him walking back into that clubhouse after being DFA’ed.

It’s another bold move by Dombrowski. Another one of Ben Cherington’s big signings has been shown the door. But let’s give credit to Dombrowski. As surprising as the move may be today, I’d rather pay $15 million for a problem to go away instead of $47 million for a year and half of a .708 OPS.

Red Sox Designate Hanley Ramirez for Assignment, Releasing Their Number 3 Hitter

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ESPN – The Boston Red Sox have designated Hanley Ramirez for assignment to clear a roster spot for second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who has been activated from the disabled list, the team announced Friday.Ramirez, 34, has more than $15 million left on his contract this season. The Red Sox will have to pay that money unless they find a trade partner in the next seven days. If not, they will have to release the veteran.

Personally I think its a great idea to release your No. 3 hitter rather than trade the 25th man on the roster just so we can keep Blake Swihart stapled to the end of the bench. Like what the fuck. I understand Hanley was on pace to reach the number of plate appearances that would guarantee his $22 Million option next season, but this seems penny wise pound foolish. The Sox may save some money next year, but now we’re banking on Mitch Moreland (career .254 batting avg) hitting .311 for the rest of the year. Call me crazy, but I’d rather keep a guy with the power to hit one onto the pike.

Someone had to go with Dustin Pedroia being activated from the DL today, but I’m shocked it was Hanley. I fully expected a Swihart trade and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Dombrowski made this move out of spite, opting to dump Hanley rather than make a trade just because he had to. Every GM in baseball probably thought they had Dave Dombrowski over a barrel because they all knew he had to trade Swihart by Friday. Instead it seems Dave would rather cut his No. 3 hitter than let anyone take advantage of him in a tricky situation.

Well if thats the case then we better see Blake Swihart in the starting lineup *tonight*

Now what the hell am I supposed to do with this GIF of Dustin Pedroia and Hanley Ramirez bonding over a tin of dip while playing for the Portland Sea Dogs?

Former Top Prospect Blake Swihart Has Asked the Red Sox to Trade Him

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NBC Sports Boston – Blake Swihart has spent all season in a virtually non-existent role, one that Alex Cora and Dave Dombrowski both indicated on Tuesday will not change barring injury to Sandy Leon or Christian Vazquez. Swihart’s agent, Brodie Scoffield of The Legacy Agency, sees a situation that’s been unproductive for both the player and the team, and has asked the Red Sox to trade Swihart…Swihart earlier in May said he would leave the trade topic to Scoffield. Scoffield declined to comment at the time. Now, with more than a quarter of the season completed and Swihart still serving no purpose other than “protection for us as a third catcher,” as Dombrowski put it Tuesday, Scoffield is pushing for change.

“With Dustin Pedroia returning, it seems now would be the time to make a move with Blake,” Scoffield said.

I can’t say I’m surprised and I absolutely don’t blame the guy. He was once the top rated catching prospect in all of baseball and then the Red Sox stuck him in left field where he jacked up his ankle and derailed his career.

Here’s what MLB.com had to say about Swihart in January 2015:

“Catcher Blake Swihart, who continues to impress with his consistent approach at the plate and his skills on the defensive side, is ranked No. 18. Though he didn’t become a regular catcher until 2010, Swihart is now the game’s top prospect at the position, reminding many of a young Buster Posey.”

Now he’s the 3rd catcher and the 25th man on a Red Sox team that rarely even plays him. Since he’s out of options the Sox can’t send him down to Pawtucket without the risk of another team claiming him and the Sox aren’t going to risk losing him for nothing so here we are. Blake is stuck in no man’s land. A trade is probably the best result for both sides. As much as I’d like to just see the team start playing him, Christian Vazquez is dynamite defensively and Sandy Leone seems to have settled in as Chris Sale’s personal catcher so there’s not a lot of playing time to go around. Those two have been positively radioactive offensively though so why Swihart hasn’t gotten really any playing time is beyond me.

You would think playing outfield is completely out of the question after what happened last time and with Dustin Pedroia coming back from the DL soon there will be even less room in the infield. He could DH but he’s definitely third in line behind mashers like JD Martinez and Hanley Ramirez for that role.

So we may be seeing the final days of Blake Swihart in Boston. I hope he goes somewhere and gets the opportunity to play because the Red Sox have royally fucked up his career to this point. Who knows if he goes the way of other former top catching prospects like Jared Saltalamacchia (spelled that right on the first try, NBD) and sucks or if he goes on to be an excellent catcher for the next decade. But lets see the guy play somewhere else if not here. Because a 3rd string catcher who doesn’t really play any other position well is not a great depth option on a major league roster. The 25th man on a roster should be a super utility player who can play basically anywhere on any night. Maybe the Sox get a decent reliever in return for Swihart and kill two birds with one stone. Either way, it seems like its probably time to cut bait. We hardly knew ye, Blake.

Red Sox vs. Yankees V and VI: Bullpen Blues

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Image result for dave dombrowski

Dave Dombrowski has worked in Major League Baseball for 40 years. He has yet to figure out how to put together a first-rate bullpen. This three-game series in the Bronx could be a microcosm for this Red Sox team’s season and potential postseason. The Red Sox are a very good team with good starting pitching and a deep lineup, but a team susceptible to late-inning bullpen meltdowns.

Game 1 of this series wasn’t a total disaster, but the bullpen took the loss nonetheless. In Games 2 and 3, the Red Sox lineup had its way against Yankees starters, but still had to sweat it out in the late innings. Game 2 was an unmitigated disaster with the Red Sox bullpen coughing up four runs in the eighth inning and Game 3 was headed down a similar path with the Red Sox bullpen coughing up four runs in the seventh inning. Thankfully JD Martinez was able to get the lead back for the Red Sox in the eighth inning of Game 3 and the Sox were able to hold on in Game 3 to salvage one game in this series.

In Game 2 Craig Kimbrel came into the game in the eighth inning and promptly allowed four runs to score on a triple and then a home run. In Game 3 he was brought into pitch a clean ninth inning and that’s exactly what he did, retiring the side in order on 13 pitches. It’s clear that the Red Sox need an eighth inning fireman so they can keep Kimbrel out of situations like the one he was brought into in Game 2.

Putting Kimbrel into the game in any situation other than a save situation to start the ninth inning is like getting a gremlin wet.

“This move baffles me every time we watch it. The instructions are very clear. Don’t put Kimbrel into the game before the ninth. How hard is that?”

I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but he clearly does not thrive in those situations. I’m not opposed to new-age baseball philosophy that says the save stat is overrated and overvalued, but don’t throw a guy into spots where he has demonstrated he is less likely to succeed! Do what works!

The Red Sox bullpen factored into all three decisions in this series, going 1-2. The bullpen recorded one save, blew two save opportunities, and allowed 9 runs in 8 2/3 innings. It’d be a shame to see this very good Red Sox team get taken down by bullpen issues. Pick up the phone, Dealer Dave, it’s time to make some moves!

The Red Sox and Yankees are now tied for first place in the AL East with the best record in the bigs, 26-11. They’re 3-3 against each other and don’t meet again until a three-game set in the Bronx at the end of June.

Breaking: Giancarlo Stanton Reportedly Won’t Accept Trade to Red Sox (UPDATE: Maybe He Will?)

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Boston Herald – “A baseball source said yesterday that he’s been told Stanton will not accept a trade to either the Red Sox or the Cardinals, another team linked early and often in trade rumors. Perhaps there’s some flexibility in that stance, but Stanton’s preference is a factor.”

Welp, that was quick. The GM meetings aren’t even over and we’re already hearing reports that Stanton won’t waive his no-trade clause for the Red Sox. Glad I wrote 1,000 words on him earlier today. Now thats not to say this deal is completely dead. We’ve all seen some wild shit in the MLB offseason around no-trade clauses, contract terms, and the Players Union mucking things up. Namely how the Red Sox completed trade for Alex Rodriguez fell through after 2003 for various flimsy reasons.

If this definitely doesn’t happen and Stanton doesn’t want to come to Boston, the question is why? Before everyone freaks out and says “not everyone wants to play in Boston,” just relax. Look I get it, we are a very parochial town. We invented America for christ’s sake. You’re welcome by the way. But the guy is playing on a last place team and has publicly said he wants no part of a rebuild. Maybe he’s hoping to maneuver a trade to the Dodgers who seem to fucking print money these days. The same reports are also saying he won’t accept a trade to St. Louis. The only other (publicly) known trade suitors were the San Francisco Giants. Ya know the team that’s coming off a 98 loss season. I know he’s a Southern Cali guy, but if the guy really cares about winning then I can’t imagine he wants to go there. So maybe there’s a dark horse candidate out there somewhere that is going to surprise all of us.

Live look at my emotions while following the Giancarlo Stanton rumors today:

UPDATE:

Evan Drellich disagrees.

“The Red Sox may not be Giancarlo Stanton’s No. 1 choice, but he hasn’t ruled out them or anyone else as a potential destination at this point, a person with knowledge of Stanton’s thinking told NBC Sports Boston on Tuesday. The Marlins slugger, a bona fide star, is said to have a “completely” open mind about teams interested to trade for him, and is actively trying to be thoughtful about the process — one he ultimately controls because of a full no-trade clause.”

Giancarlo watch is BACK ON!

Reports: Red Sox Are a “Lock” to Land One of These Three Superstars

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WEEI – So, as the meetings kick off Monday, with Dombrowski offering his first update at approximately 5 p.m., such rumors as the ones involving Giancarlo Stanton shouldn’t be pushed aside. Sure, some are saying the Red Sox are all hot and heavy for the outfielder, while others suggest St. Louis and San Francisco are the favorites. No matter. Pay attention to every minute of it. As we found out with Sale a year ago, the end-game might not be found during the GM meetings, at least there will be a legitimate road to conversation. It is almost a lock-solid certainty that at least one of the top names in this offseason’s rumor mill — J.D. Martinez, Eric Hosmer, Giancarlo Stanton — will be holding a Red Sox press conference in December.

So Rob Bradford just reported that he believes the Red Sox are “a lock” to land one of these three guys: JD Martinez, Eric Hosmer, or Giancarlo Stanton. Now obviously Stanton is hands down the best player of the three, he also is the only one thats not a free agent so he would require a boat load of players and prospects to acquire. Not to mention the nearly $300 Million left on his deal. While I think he’s hedging a bit by including Stanton with the other two guys mentioned, all three are power hitters. Bradfo is pretty in the know so if he’s saying it you can bet the Red Sox have at least privately acknowledged their desperate need of a power bat. Now lets break down each player and see what the fit would be.

JD Martinez – Hit 45 Home Runs while batting .303 so he would definitely fill the power vacuum the Sox have, but he’s also reportedly looking for a $200 Million contract. I don’t know if Dave wants to give out yet another 9 figure contract. Especially for a guy thats only topped 23 HRs one other time before this year over the previous 6 seasons. Plus he’s an outfielder so he’d have to DH and slide Hanley back to first base, who all but refused to play the field last year, or the Sox would have to make room in the OF by dealing someone.

 

Eric Hosmer – There’s something to be said about a player that knows how to win and Hosmer fits that bill. He’s played in two World Series (and won one) over the past 4 seasons. And the WS the Royals lost went 7 games, so Hosmer has some serious experience in the pressure cooker that is October. And thats what the Sox need; a guy that isn’t going to crumble under the pressure of the playoffs, which about half of the current Red Sox roster has done the past 2 postseasons. Not quite the power stroke of Martinez, but he still hits 20-25 HRs a year and he also plays first base, which is where the Red Sox happen to have a vacancy. He’s also a stud defender, having won the Gold Glove four out of the last five years. Plus he dates resident NESN royalty Kacie McDonnell so that shores up my confidence argument.

 

Giancarlo Stanton – I don’t know much about Stanton the person, aside from the fact that before he was Giancarlo he used to go by Mike.

So he’s got that going for him. But I don’t need to remind anyone here that the guy can MASH. He’s up for NL MVP, which will be announced on Thursday night after hitting 59 HRs with 132 RBIs and an OPS of 1.007! The guy had a WAR of 7.6 for christ’s sake. I’m sure he’s a great dude too, but hitting 60 fucking home runs will make up for a lot of shortcomings elsewhere. Manny Ramirez was a complete dickhead most of his time here, but the guy was mashing 40/140 every year so nobody gave a shit. But I just can’t see the Red Sox pulling the trigger on a deal with the amount of players and prospects they’d have to give up before even mentioning the $295 Million left on his contract. Buster Olney said earlier today that even baseball execs are saying the asking price from Jeets is “out of touch with reality.”

The fact of the matter is the Red Sox finished dead fucking last in the American League in Home Runs. Dead. Last. Thats a sentence I never thought I’d type. I grew up watching guys like Mo Vaughn, Nomar, Manny, Ortiz, and all the other power hitters that have come through Fenway. The Sox have always mashed and more or less pissed on the idea of bunting and playing small ball. So to see such an anemic offense (OBP was top 5 though!) was shocking to see. However John Henry, Dave Dombrowski and the crew decide to do it, just bring me the power. Bring the bats and the rest will fall into place.

If I had to guess? I’m saying Eric Hosmer. Positional fit at first base, character guy, tons of playoff experience, provides some power, gold glove defense, and a (comparatively) reasonable contract.

Red Sox Hire Tony La Russa to Be the Adult in the Room

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ESPN – Tony La Russa joined the Red Sox in a vice president’s role, and he will assist president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, the team announced Thursday..La Russa spent 33 seasons as a manager, beginning in 1979 with the White Sox when Dombrowski was an administrative assistant in the organization. La Russa won the World Series in 1989 with the Oakland Athletics and in 2006 and ’11 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He retired from managing after the 2011 season and worked in the commissioner’s office before joining Arizona’s front office.

How do I feel about the Red Sox bringing HOF baseball guy Tony La Russa into the fold?

Player personnel has been relatively good for the Sox, basically its been hit or miss over the years like any team. Chris Sale was a stud and was the front runner for the Cy Young until he faltered down the stretch. David Price has been disappointing for the most part. Eduardo Nunez? Excellent trade! Travis Shaw for Tyler Thornburg? Not so much. My point is the personnel moves have been, for the most part, pretty good. But the front office? Holy shit, thats been a soap opera for the past 15 fucking years. Ever since John Henry and co. took over the team. Lets run though some of the highlights.

  • Theo Epstein quits on Halloween night in 2005 and leaves the office in a gorilla costume.
  • Jed Hoyer and Ben Cherington take over as co-GMs and immediately trade Theo’s most coveted prospect in Hanley Ramirez (worked out OK).
  • Theo returns, but ultimately quits again in 2011 after yet another pissing contest with Larry Lucchino. Lucchino retires 4 year later, while Epstein has not only resurrected the Cubs and won a World Series, but has turned them into a juggernaut.
  • Beloved manager Terry Francona gets absolutely TRASHED in the media on his way out of town in 2011.
  • Bobby Valentine is hired in 2012 and immediately makes a mockery of the franchise and is shit canned after just 1 season.
  • John Farrell is kept on as Red Sox manager after 2016 and the team lets his replacement in waiting, Torey Lovullo, leave for the Diamondbacks. Lovullo goes on to lead Arizona to a 93 win season (+24 from 2016) and the Red Sox promptly fire Farrell one year later anyways.

So now finally, after years of a reality TV show running the front office we finally get an adult in the room. La Russa is a legend in baseball so its a huge win for the Sox to bring him on board.

Apparently La Russa and Dombrowski are buds, so I would assume it was Dave’s idea to pluck him out of Arizona’s front office to help right the shaky ship that is the Boston Red Sox.

The Red Sox now have a respected, experienced, strategic guy in the front office to complement Dealer Dave. So when Dombrowski wants to trade Rafael Devers, Mookie Betters, Xander Bogaerts and Andrew Benintendi for Giancarlo Stanton and his $300 Million contract Tony La Russa can slap the phone out of his hand. Plus he’s the only one with the stones to tell David Price to pipe down if he tries to mess with his boy Dennis Eckersley again.

Win-win situation.

Dustin Pedroia Out 7 Months After Knee Surgery, Awesome

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So Dustin Pedroia decided to undergo the surgery he’s been publicly hesitant to get because by his own admission its a long road to recovery. If all goes well with his knee surgery and rehab then, according to the Red Sox, Pedroia should be out 7 months, which puts him back on the field by May. But, how often does everything go according to plan with this team and injuries? There’s always some misdiagnosis or they rush guys back or second and third opinions derail everything because the players don’t trust the team doctors. So if all that goes off without a hitch then he’ll be back in May. But, thats back to being a functioning, walking human, not an everyday Major League Baseball player. Pedroia won’t be able to do any of his offseason conditioning and will miss all of spring training. So while the team is saying May, this could easily be a situation where we don’t see Pedey back on the field at Fenway until July. Thats a scary proposition.

So the Red Sox are most definitely going to need another guy that can play 50-100 games at second base next year. Is that Brock Holt? I’d prefer to keep Holt as a super utility player and not an every day infielder as he tends to get exposed the longer he plays plus he has his own injury concerns with the concussion and the vertigo from this past season.

Is that Eduardo Nunez? That would probably be the ideal fill-in, but after being picked up by the Sox in the second half where he crushed the ball to a BA of .321, Nunez is a free agent and is probably 1.) looking for big dough and 2.) looking for assured playing time. Not to say Nunez will immediately ride the bench upon Pedroia’s return, but I could easily see him going somewhere else where he knows exactly what position he’ll be playing every day.

Deven Marrero’s not exactly a sexy option having hit .211 this year in the big leagues, but he’s the only guy you’ve got on the roster right now. I simply cannot see Dave Dombrowski punting on second base to start the year and hoping a 34-year-old Pedroia returns to form after major knee surgery. The Sox are still tight up against the Luxury Tax and everyone will lose their shit if Dombrowski starts dishing more prospects, so while there is a move to be made they may have to get creative with this one.

 

How Can Alex Cora Get the Red Sox Going in the Right Direction?

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Alex Cora is the new manager of the Boston Red Sox and once the Houston Astros win or lose the World Series he’ll walk into a talented, underachieving, promising, and fractured clubhouse. This team could easily make strides and be in the World Series next year or they could just as easily compound their current issues and be fighting for a Wild Card berth. So what can the new skipper do to get this team going in the right direction?

Cora and Dustin Pedroia were of course teammates on the Red Sox from 2006-2008 under Terry Francona. If Cora can get Pedroia on board out of the gate, which it would seem he should have no problem doing, then he’s off to a good start. For whatever reason Pedroia never seemed to be tight with John Farrell and then of course he hated Bobby V.

Pedroia’s like a scorned lover, never letting himself get close to another manager again after the way Francona was ripped away from him. So maybe Pedroia and Cora can bond over how badly the Sox management sandbagged Tito on his way out of town.

In addition to Pedroia, Cora should be well equipped to better connect with the Latino players because he, ya know, is from Puerto Rico and is obviously fluent in Spanish. That alone should do wonders for Latino players that Farrell may not have been able to connect with. Even if Farrell spoke some Spanish, there’s no substitute for a guy that can *conversate* in both languages.

Being just 42 years old, Cora will be the second youngest manager in the MLB and should be in a much better position to connect with the younger Sox players than his predecessor. Cora played in the era of social media and constant media attention in Boston so he understands how to handle it. Plus he was revered in his playing days as a veteran leader that helped mentor younger players. Including ones that would ultimately take his job in guys like Pedroia. So while he may not have managerial experience, he checks all the boxes that would seemingly make for a good manager.

After that all he has to do is get serial malcontent David Price on board. Other than that, jobs a piece of cake. Maybe some sessions on the manager’s couch to do nothing other than vent will help Price release a little steam before he blows another gasket on guys like Dennis Eckersley. I have no idea what Price’s relationship was with Farrell, but the whole “Manager John” thing sure didn’t make it seem like they were buddies. And Price knows that, he’s not stupid. So whether Cora walks in Day 1 and tells Price to sit down and shut up, or he massages the ego of a $217 Million enigma, I leave up to him. But, get a handle on those social circles within the roster and the rest will fall into place.

Who Will be the Next Manager of the Boston Red Sox?

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The search continues for the next manager of the Boston Red Sox, one of the most coveted, high profile, and stressful positions in baseball. The Sox would be wise to take their time and do their due diligence before making an emotional hire a la the disaster that was Bobby Valentine. They need a guy who can communicate effectively with players whether they’re rookies, verterans, white guys or hispanic. This team needs a guy players can talk to, someone who is respected in the game, a solid in-game tactician, and is a name that will resonate with fans. With all that being said, lets get to the top candidates we’ve heard about thus far.

Alex Cora – The current bench coach for the Houston Astros is a former Red Sox player and seems to be the early favorite as he was the first guy the Sox interviewed. He’s got former teammates coming out of the woodwork to give glowing reviews, can communicate well with players, and a Puerto Rico outlet is reporting that Cora has a “99.9% chance” of landing the job. Apparently there’s heavy competition for Cora as the Mets want him too, but who the fuck would want to manage the Mets right now?

Brad Ausmus -The recently canned Tigers manager, this was a popular name because Dave Dombrowski gave Ausmus his first job when he hired him back in Detroit. Ausmus is currently unemployed and we all know how much Dave loves his own guys. But, maybe he doesn’t want to double down on a guy who didn’t make it very far for his former employer. The Mets were also rumored to be in on Ausmus, but as I mentioned who would want that job? Not Ausmus, who reportedly removed his name from consideration.

Ron Gardenhire – Yawn. I’m not dying to see the guy who managed the Twins to middling records for years take the reigns of one of the most pressure packed job in sports. Okay, middling records is probably not totally fair. He did win 6 division titles with Minnesota, but they never went very deep and the last division title came in 2010 when Gardenhire was named AL Manager of the Year. But, he hasn’t managed since 2014 and seems like more of the same so I don’t think its a great fit.  Gardenhire is also, ironically, the bench coach for Torey Lovullo, the John Farrell successor in waiting the Red Sox had on their staff last year, then let walk in favor of Farrell, who they ended up firing anyways a year later. Solid planning over on Yawkey Way.

Other names that have been mentioned in the media:

Gabe Kapler – Sign me UP for Gabe the Babe. One of my favorite former players because he played his balls off every day. He’s currently the Director of Player Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers and has previously managed in the minor leagues for the Red Sox actually. I don’t think Tanyon Sturtze would appreciate Gabe becoming the next Red Sox manager though. Ya know, because he kicked his ass.

After all the bullshit we were fed about John Farrell being this tough guy John Wayne type, we could use an actual badass managing this team.

He was also in the running for the Dodgers manager position before Dave Roberts became a candidate and Kapler stepped down. So he’s clearly got a lot of behind the scenes experience and is a well rounded baseball guy with experience in both the dugout and the front office. Hell, he’s even got a health and fitness blog that I would highly recommend. WEEI’s John Tomase is all in as well and has some great insights on Kapler’s success in his current role with the Dodgers building up their farm system.

Jim Leyland – The longtime baseball manager who also has big Dombrowski ties, having worked as his manager in Florida as well as with the Tigers. But, Tony Massaroti mentioned on 98.5 the other day that he texted the 72 year old Leyland, who straight up told Mazz that he’s done managing. So we can cross this one off the list.

I think Cora is a solid option, a breath of fresh air that the Red Sox could use. He’s a guy that speaks both Spanish and English fluently, he’s young, and he’s been climbing the ranks working his way up to this opportunity. I think with an older baseball guy as his bench coach Cora is probably the best option. But I certainly would not be disappointed with my dude Gabe managing the Sox. Time for Dave Dombrowski to hitch his wagon to the next manager; we’re in this together now boys.