Boston Sports Then and Now

Yesterday, the Twitterverse — and, for that matter, Red Sox-based media at large — was abuzz with talk of Jason Bay as the Sox trekked to Port St. Lucie for an exhibition with the left fielder’s new club, the New York Mets.  Bay’s departure from Boston, amidst concerns about his knees and shoulder, was perhaps the team’s biggest off-season story and is certainly the root of wide-spread concerns regarding the Sox’ offense in 2010.

Jason Bay left Boston for the Mets this offseason.

In Theo Epstein’s time as General Manager, several players have left the team as free agents, igniting debate amongst media and fans alike.  Here, I will look at some of the more controversial decisions to let a player walk in the Epstein era and categorize said decisions based on their effect upon the organization since having been made.  Perhaps of note, the six players examined were important parts of the 2004 World Champion Red Sox.

Theo is not sentimental.

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Will Mike Lowell play for the Red Sox in 2010?

The talks and emails about Jason Bay have dissolved over the last few weeks as he signed with the New York Mets. The Red Sox signed John Lackey, Marco Scutaro, and Mike Cameron.

So what is next for the Red Sox? What else does Theo Epstein need to do before his team meets for spring training? There are a couple of big questions that surround the team right now:

1. Will the Red Sox be able to produce as many runs as they have in the past?
2. Who will play then infield?

With the loss of Jason Bay and Manny Ramirez over the past couple of years, Boston has some big holes to fill if they choose to receive offensive production. David Ortiz and Victor Martinez are the two biggest hitters in the Boston lineup, and they need to be just that.

Last season, Ortiz had a horrible time at the plate, especially in the first half. Due to his wrist injury, he was unable to get enough practice time in. This offseason, Ortiz is doing more workouts, and he hopes he can return to his true form.

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Will Jason Bay be roaming around left field for Boston next season?

With their arch rivals winning the World Series this year, you better believe the Red Sox will do whatever it takes to get back at the Yankees.

Boston played 162 games this past season only to get swept by the Angels in the playoffs. Almost seems like a waste. The Red Sox won’t let that happen again.

General manager Theo Epstein has his eyes on a few key players if the team cannot keep Bay.

Bay batted .267 with 36 homers and 119 RBI’s. He led the team with 94 walks, but he also led with 162 strikeouts.

Over 171 players applied for free agency, so there are plenty of big names on the market.

The Boston Herald reported that the Red Sox are currently interested in outfielders Matt Holliday and Rick Ankiel. Third basemen Adrian Beltre and reliever Mike Gonzalez are also on Boston’s radar.

Holliday did have a greater batting average compared to Bay. He hit .313 with 24 home runs and 109 RBI’s.

If the Red Sox do not sign Bay, I would expect them to go after Holliday. He would be a great fit in Boston. He has a little less power than Bay, but hits for more average.
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