With the season over for the Red Stockings, time to start a preliminary glance at 2009.
First up, the Red Sox free agent players on the current roster. The list is unusually short and comprises of just Mark Kotsay, Alex Cora, and Sean Casey
It's Mark Kotsay's first shot at free agency, and he will undoubtedly want to test the market. You also have to remember, he was brought in for outfield cover when JD Drew was hurt. Drew would figure to start '09 healthy and now Jason Bay calls Boston home, thus Kotsay would probably be surplus to requirements either way. Theo Epstein was quoted as saying - "bigger and better things" were awaiting Kotsay, with another club presumably.
Barring a dramatic turn of events, Cora will be back in his role as a utility player. Cora is a serviceable replacement as a player and is valued as a player/coach type and a clubhouse leader also. Him signing on for a few more years would be good news.
It is hard to see Sean Casey accepting his extremely limited role again. He will be elsewhere when 2009 starts.
Overall, Boston is keeping it's core together, which can only be good news considering it's core was good enough to make the ALCS. A couple of additions to pitching and a bat or two and the Red Sox will be in pretty reasonable shape for 2009.
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Comments
I am still angry about the terrible strike zone late in game two, which went against Boston and wildly for Tampa.