Punto joins Red Sox as club bolsters bench

redsox.com:  BOSTON -- The Red Sox, suddenly busy after a quiet couple of weeks, bolstered their bench by agreeing to terms with utility infielder Nick Punto on a two-year, $3 million contract that is pending a physical, a source confirmed.
CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman was first to report that Boston had reached an agreement with Punto, who is fresh off winning the World Series as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.
The addition of Punto is the third move made by Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington in the last two days. On Tuesday, he signed catcher Kelly Shoppach to a one-year deal. And hours before closing the deal with Punto, the Red Sox traded Jed Lowrie and pitching prospect Kyle Weiland to the Astros for righty reliever Mark Melancon.

Jasper's thoughts: I think that Punto is a GREAT addition to the Red Sox bench, and will provide a bat as a pinch hitter if they need him to.

Sox swap Lowrie for Astros reliever Melancon

redsox.com:  BOSTON -- The Red Sox added a potential closer candidate to their roster on Wednesday, dealing the oft-injured Jed Lowrie and pitching prospect Kyle Weiland to the Astros for right-hander Mark Melancon.
Melancon was installed as the Astros' closer in May, converting 20 of his 25 save opportunities and posting a 2.78 ERA over 74 1/3 innings.
The Red Sox have had a closer vacancy since Nov. 11, when Jonathan Papelbon agreed to terms with the Philadelphia Phillies. Though Daniel Bard could emerge as a candidate at closer, the plan for Spring Training is to see if he can make the starting rotation.

Jasper's thoughts:  Last year with the Astros, Melancon had a 2.78 ERA.  I believe that Melancon could be a strong reliever/closer for the Red Sox, and I support the move.

Red Sox, Kelly Shoppach agree

ESPNBoston.com

The Boston Red Sox have reached agreement on a one-year major league contract with free-agent catcher Kelly Shoppach, almost certainly ending team captain Jason Varitek's 15-year career in Boston. A source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick the 31-year-old Shoppach will make a base salary of $1.35 million, plus performance bonuses.

The Red Sox announced the signing Tuesday night.

For the soon-to-be-40-year-old Varitek, the Shoppach deal should make official what Ben Cherington hinted at the winter meetings last week: that the catcher's tenure in Boston was over. His 15 years, 1,488 games and 190 homers at the position are the most in team history.

Jasper's thoughts: I think that the Red Sox should have invested their money in a yonger prospect.

Valentine 'humbled' to be Sox's new manager

 redsox.com:  BOSTON -- Within the first few seconds of his opening news conference as manager of the Red Sox on Thursday, Bobby Valentine half-kiddingly looked for a teleprompter before he started talking.

But as much as he enjoyed the work he did for ESPN the last two baseball seasons, Valentine was all too happy to trade in his microphone for a Red Sox uniform that has No. 25 on the back of it.

For a man who has been absorbed with baseball for virtually his entire life, it was notable just how visibly exuberant Valentine was to accept his new post, which includes a two-year contract with options for 2014 and '15. 

Jasper's thoughts: I think that the Red Sox should have looked around a little bit more before deciding on Valentine.

Red Sox search down to Valentine, Lamont

redsox.com:  BOSTON -- Barring a major surprise, either Bobby Valentine or Gene Lamont will be named Terry Francona's successor at a press conference sometime within the next few days.

Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington plans on having his first manager in place before baseball's Winter Meetings, which start on Dec. 5 in Dallas.

After conducting second interviews with both Valentine and Lamont last week, things quieted down over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Jasper's thoughts: I think that Gene Lamont could have the key that the Red Sox ned to put their team back together. 

NEW YORK (AP)—Ryan Braun’s analysis of why he beat out Matt Kemp for the NL Most Valuable Player award came down to the math: 96-66 as opposed to 82-79.

“If you honestly assess both of our seasons individually I think his numbers are probably better than mine, and I just feel fortunate to have been on the better team,” Braun said. “It’s an individual award, but it’s a result of being part of a special team, a special organization.”
Braun was voted the NL MVP after helping the Milwaukee Brewers win their first division title in nearly 30 years. Kemp, meanwhile, played for a Los Angeles Dodgers club that spent much of the season far out of contention in the NL West.

I am very glad that the MLB chose a player like Braun to win the MVP instead of

Red Sox interested in Valentine as manager

BOSTON (AP)—Bobby Valentine would “be honored” to talk more with the Boston Red Sox about their vacant managerial position.

He said Friday that he already has spoken to general manager Ben Cherington and “I’m looking forward to having conversations, if that’s what they want to do.”

The former manager of the New York Mets and Texas Rangers said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press that “I hope that there’d be a plan to give me an opportunity to meet” with the owners.

“He’s a great man and a great manager and he has a colorful and successful history, so his name inevitably comes up in this day and age,” Lucchino said.At the time, both said they hadn’t discussed the job with each other.

Valentine led the New York Mets to the World Series in 2000 when they lost to the New York Yankees. He was fired by the Mets after the 2002 season. He managed in Japan from 2004-09, winning the Japan Series in 2005 with the Chiba Lotte Marines.

“I have a great job, and I wouldn’t insult my employers by saying I’m interested in another job,” Valentine said at the Hartford event two weeks ago. “I have two more years on my contract with ESPN and I’m very thankful for that.”

The Red Sox are seeking a replacement for Terry Francona, who left Sept. 30, two days after a loss in the regular-season finale left them out of the playoffs. They’ve interviewed Philadelphia bench coach Pete Mackanin, Milwaukee hitting coach Dale Sveum, Cleveland first-base coach Sandy Alomar Jr., Toronto first-base coach Torey Lovullo and Detroit third-base coach Gene Lamont.

Sveum was hired as manager of the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.

The energetic, experienced Valentine would be a departure from that largely unproven group. Lamont is the only one of the five with major league managerial experience.

The addition of Valentine to the list of candidates increases the likelihood that the Red Sox won’t announce a manager before Thanksgiving.

On Thursday, Cherington and his assistant, Mike Hazen, left the general managers’ meetings in Milwaukee for the Dominican Republic, where they planned to scout players.

The Red Sox didn’t rush to hire a manager after Grady Little was fired following the 2003 season. Francona was hired on Dec. 4 and, in his first season, led the Red Sox to their first World Series championship in 86 years.

Carpenter starting Game 7 for Cards on short rest

ST. LOUIS (AP)—Chris Carpenter is starting on three days’ rest in Game 7 of the World Series for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Manager Tony La Russa said he decided Friday morning after consulting with pitching coach Dave Duncan, who
gave the thumbs up. The team made it official several hours before the deciding game against the Texas Rangers.

"Dave had a real heart-to-heart with him to gauge just how ready he was to pitch just physically, not mentally but physically,” La Russa said. “And then I think if he would be available to pitch, he probably would have pitched in this game sometime.

The bottom line: the Cardinals wanted their best pitcher on the mound.

“He’s the guy our club wants to have out there, and he’s ready to take it,” La Russa said. “Plain and simple. He’s our guy.”

Carpenter started on short rest for the first time of his career in the first round of the NL playoffs against the Phillies and lasted only three innings, allowing four runs on five hits in his shortest outing of the year.

Napoli, Rangers move 1 win from World Series crown

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)—Mike Napoli was dialed in, no matter who he was going to face. A charmed season for Napoli and the Texas Rangers got even better Monday night, thanks to a most unlikely twist—a bullpen telephone mix-up.
After a dropped ball and a dropped call, of sorts, loaded the bases in the eighth inning, Napoli delivered a tiebreaking two-run double that beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 and gave Texas a 3-2 edge in the World Series.
The Rangers moved within one win of capturing their first crown, which they can do Wednesday night in St. Louis.
“We certainly won’t be out there thinking about we’ve just got to win one game,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “I’ve been there before, and that doesn’t work.”

And the Cardinals’ approach? Maybe get a smartphone, or perhaps next time they should try texting the bullpen.

The boston Red Sox (former) general manager Theo Epstein has packed his bags and is headed off to the windy city of Chicago.  Epstine spent nine years with the Red Sox, and brought them two world series titles (2007 and 2004).
Epstine made some great moves for Boston, some of which include:  Picking up Josh Becket and Mike Lowel in a trade from the Marlins in the 2003 offseason.  Trading Nomar Garciapara at the trade deadline in 2004.  Most recently picking up slugger Adrian Gonzalez.  Theo will be missed greatly from the Sox.  Epstein resigned from the sox with one year left on his contract, knowing that Theo grew up a Red Sox fan, I am vrey suprized to see hin walk away.