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Potential 2011 Red Sox Roster: Position Players

The Boston Red Sox have once again shaken up their roster, executing a huge trade with the San Diego Padres for Adrian Gonzalez and signing one of the biggest free agents of the 2010-2011 offseason, Carl Crawford.

Returning are popular veterans David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia (can we call Pedroia a veteran now? He’s achieved more in three MLB seasons than most players do in 15.) How will this play out in the lineup? Read on to find out.

After the Red Sox stabilize their pitching staff, I’ll do the “Potential 2011 Red Sox Roster: Pitching Staff.”

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Carl Crawford Signing: What It Could Mean For Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Cameron

The big news today is that the Boston Red Sox massively overpaid for former Tampa Bay Rays outfielder, speed demon Carl Crawford. $126 million over 7 years. Whether or not you think that Crawford is worth that kind of money, one thing’s for sure: The Red Sox are likely out of the running for Washington Nationals outfielder Josh Willingham, who once again is rumored to be on the trading block.

However, the Red Sox now have an incredibly crowded outfield. Crawford will likely be in left, JD Drew (consistently my least favorite player on the Red Sox), Jacoby Ellsbury in center, and either Mike Cameron or Ryan Kalish on the bench. Likely Cameron, as Kalish can stay down in Pawtucket for another season.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Adrian Gonzalez Trade More Than Makes Up for Red Sox Loss of Martinez, Beltre

So after a day of “Padres-Red Sox have a trade for Adrian Gonzalez!” “Never mind, they don’t.” “Wait, they got him after all!” trade talks between the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres, the Red Sox finally have their answer to Mark Teixeira.

The slugger from San Diego has finally come to Fenway after years of circulating rumors between the Padres and Red Sox.

The Red Sox drop three prospects—Casey Kelly, Anthony Rizzo and Reymond Fuentes—as well as a player to be named later. The Red Sox also lock up Gonzalez for the next eight years in a massive contract that will cost the Red Sox $167 million in all.

Gonzalez has long been one of the elite hitters in the game but is often overlooked when conversations about the best players in baseball come up, likely due to the fact that he plays on a small-market team.

Expect that to change now.

In his seven seasons with the Texas Rangers and Padres, Gonzalez consistently plays in over 150 games a year, hits for a lifetime average of .284 and has a slugging percentage of .507 with an OBP of .368 for an OPS of .875. In 2010, Gonzalez launched 31 homers with 101 RBI and an OPS of .904.

This trade comes just about a week and a half after fan favorite catcher Victor Martinez left Boston for the Detroit Tigers. Gonzalez is four years younger than Martinez, and although Martinez is a batter hitter for average, Gonzalez is a much better power hitter.

Because of the trade, this will likely mean that one of the pleasant surprises of 2010, Adrian Beltre, will not be re-signed by Boston, as Kevin Youkilis will likely move to third base to allow Gonzalez to play first base. Beltre rebounded in 2010 after years of mediocrity in Seattle, hitting a league-leading 49 doubles with 28 home runs, 102 RBI, an average of .321 and an OPS of .919.

Beltre will likely be missed by many Red Sox fans (assuming that the Red Sox don’t sign him), as will Martinez, but if Gonzalez is anything like he was in San Diego, he will more than make up for the losses.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Recapping the Trades of the 2010 MLB Season

Well, it’s that time of year again. The time where teams either detonate their entire roster, give up some good prospect to get that extra push to propel them to the offseason, or stand pat and hope for the best.

There haven’t been as many trades in 2010 as there were in 2009, but with the likes of Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee (again), Ted Lilly, Dan Haren and Lance Berkman being dealt over this ‘trade deadline season’….

If I’ve left a trade off, please comment and I’ll put that trade in.

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