Red Sox Are Skunked On Gold Glove Awards

Last night, Dustin Pedroia was beaten out by Robinson Cano for the 2012 Rawlings Gold Glove at second base. Adrian Gonzalez (name sound familiar?) was beaten out by Mark Teixeira at first. And, as the cherry on top of the 'Shutout Sundae', Josh Reddick was the winner in right field. The amazing Orioles took home three Gold Gloves—Matt Wieters behind the plate, Adam Jones in center field and J.J. Hardy at shortstop. OK, can we now finally put the lid on this horrendous season?

POLL: Seven In Ten Want Youk Back At First

Early results to our latest FenwayNation Poll suggest that better than seven in ten readers want the Red Sox to bring back Kevin Youkilis to play first base in 2013. As the chart shows, 71.2% favor bringing Youk back since "he can still play defense and get on base." Just under three in ten (28.8%) don't want the sweat-challenged fan favorite back in Beantown because "at 34 his skill set is on the decline." You can still vote in this poll HERE.

POLL: Should The Red Sox Bring Youk Back?

If Poll Not Visible, Click HERE

Taiwanese Animation Summary Of World Series

It went by so fast, you may have missed the key moments of the 2012 World Series. Well, your friendly Taiwanese animators have come to your rescue! The Panda's exploits, the failures of Cabrera and Prince, Verlander's puzzling ineffectiveness, and Marco The Magnificent—all featured in the new video from Taiwan. Enjoy it by clicking HERE.

Internet Baseball Writers Name Rookies Of Year

Trout And Harper (USA TODAY)

The Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) has announced their choices for the AL and NL Rookies Of The Year. Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was elected unanimously by the IBWAA membership as AL Rookie Of The Year—garnering all first place votes. Yoenis Cespedes finished second and Yu Darvish finished third in the overall voting. Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals was named the NL Rookie Of The Year—while Wade Miley and Todd Frazier finished second and third, respectively. The IBWAA was founded in 2009 by Howard Cole, editor of BaseballSavvy.com. Members come from organizations such as MLB.com, Yahoo! Sports, and ESPN. Two members of the FenwayNation staff (the Editor-In-Chief and the Down-Under Editor) are also members of the IBWAA.

Bangor's Butterfield Is New Sox 3rd Base Coach

Creative Commons / Keith Allison

John Farrell has made another hire from Toronto. Brian Butterfield will be the new Red Sox third base coach—joining Torey Lovullo as an additional exile from the Great White North. Butterfield served as a Jays coach for the last eleven years and is a native of Bangor, Maine—and also attended the University Of Maine.

Is Dan Haren Coming To Boston In Quick Trade?

Haren Headed To Fenway?

The Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim, Orange County, California, United States Of America, Earth, Milky Way are motivated to deal. They have two starting pitchers on the block—and they want to trade them by Wednesday. That's when the proverbial coach turns into a worthless pumpkin as both Dan Haren and Ervin Santana become free agents. It's just a coincidence that Wednesday is actually Halloween. Haren would be a good fit for Boston. He had an off-year, but his career stats are more than decent (119-97, 3.66 ERA). So, stay tuned, BenCher may pull off a big deal for a starter in the next several hours.

Dustin Pedroia In Line For Another Gold Glove

Muddy Chicken On Prowl

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is up for his third Gold Glove tonight. The Muddy Chicken will be up against Robinson Cano of the Evil Ones and Dustin Ackley of the Mariners. You can watch the award ceremony tonight on ESPN at 9 PM Eastern. Interestingly, Adrian Gonzalez is also up for a Gold Glove tonight.

Red Sox Are 22-1 To Win 2013 World Series

According to the gaming site Bovada, the odds that the Red Sox win the 2013 World Series are 22-1. That's at roughly the same level as the Rays, Diamondbacks and Orioles. The Tigers—believe it or not—are the overall favorites at 6-1, followed by the Evil Ones at 7-1. The World Champion Giants are third at 10-1. Lay your money down, Nation—assuming you're in Vegas, of course.

FrankenStorm Fells FenwayNation

Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, FenwayNation was knocked off-line Monday, due to a power outage at the vast World Headquarters Complex somewhere outside Boston. As long as our iPhone holds out, we may make a few posts. Hang in there everyone!

Anibal Sanchez Could Return To Sox In 2013

Return To Sox Organization?

In 2005, the Red Sox made a deal with the (then) Florida Marlins that sent their stud shortstop prospect—Hanley Ramirez—south for Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell. One of the other guys in the deal was Anibal Sanchez. The 28-year old right-hander never actually pitched for the Red Sox, and was a .500 hurler in South Florida over seven seasons (44-45). On July 23rd he was traded to the Tigers, and was again so-so for the balance of the year (4-6, 3.74). But in the post-season he started three games and logged a 1.77 ERA. He pitched a total of 20 1/3 innings, gave up only 14 hits and struck out 18. With the Red Sox needing at least one more quality starter in the rotation, Sanchez might be an option cheaper than Greinke, Kuroda or Lohse.

Congrats To World Series Champion Giants

Sadly, another baseball season has come to an end. We needn't rehash the huge disappointment the Red Sox have been over the last two years. However, it is good to see a couple of ex-Red Sox win it all. Marco Scutaro was jettisoned to save payroll that was used to sign Cody Ross—ironically, a 2010 hero for San Francisco. And old friend Javy Lopez now has two rings with the Giants since leaving the Red Sox. Congratulations to Marco and Javy and all the San Francisco Giants and their fans.

Carl Crawford Relieved To Get Out Of Boston

Associated Press

Carl Crawford showed up for the first time to Dodger Stadium since the Nick Punto Trade. His interview with the LA media (and we use that term advisedly) was filled with excuses and lost opportunities. He said he wished he had not succumbed to the "pressure" of performing and listened to his doctors about the need for Tommy John surgery. He seemed to blame the fans and media in Boston for his urge to please and justify his ridiculous contract. In any event, he's gone. And both Crawford and the Red Sox are better off for it.

Astros Claim Che-Hsuan Lin Off Waivers

Photo By Keith Allison

Once considered a top outfield prospect by the Red Sox, Che-Hsuan Lin is now gone. The Houston Astros picked up Lin on waivers from Boston. Lin was once the MVP if the MLB Futures Game and was a career .256 hitter in Boston's minor league system. He went 3 for 12 in a short major league debut in 2012.

Peterson Up For Red Sox Pitching Coach Gig

Multiple sources are reporting that Rick Peterson will interview for the vacant Red Sox pitching coach job in the near future. Peterson is at once controversial and well-respected in the pitching community. As a pitching coach for Oakland, Milwaukee and the Mets, he has the big-league level experience needed for the job. As Orioles' Director of Pitching Development in 2012, he was credited with turning around both the young and old pitching talent that helped Baltimore contend.

Adam LaRoche May Be Off The Market Soon

Jonathan Newton/ Washington Post

The fact that Adam LaRoche is the most desirable first base option for the Red Sox says a lot about the market and the team. But now, it looks like LaRoche is well on his way to re-signing with the Washington Nationals. According to a report by the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore, the Nats and LaRoche are continuing to discuss a new long-term contract and, ominously, the sides are "working toward an agreement." Those tea leaves aren't too hard to read. So, barring a creative trade, Boston is left with a mishmash of unappealing choices like Lance Berkman, Eric Hinske, Aubrey Huff, Casey Kotchman, Carlos Lee, Xavier Nady, Lyle Overbay, Nick Swisher, Carlos Pena, and Ty Wigginton. Ya, no kidding. So, they may have to overpay for Mike Napoli or grudgingly bring back James Loney. Of course, the White Sox have some guy who can also play third in a pinch. Never mind.

Jays Could Have Had Andrew Bailey For Farrell

Chuck Solomon/SI

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Toronto Blue Jays could have taken Red Sox closer Andrew Bailey as compensation for letting John Farrell go to Boston. The Jays took shortstop Mike Aviles instead, but it's rather shocking that Boston has essentially given up on Bailey enough to offer him up as a sacrificial lamb for a manager. John Farrell has since given—at best—lukewarm support for Bailey, saying he'll be in the mix for closer if healthy. How's that Reddick deal working out for you?

Lovullo Officially Named Red Sox Bench Coach

New Bench Coach Torey Lovullo

The Red Sox formally announced that Torey Lovullo will become John Farrell's new bench coach in 2013. Lovullo, has managed in the minors (661-609)—including one year for the Pawtucket Red Sox. He has been the first base coach for Farrell in Toronto for the last two seasons. The 47-year old Lovullo played in the majors for eight seasons and is seen by many as future managerial timber.

Red Sox Legends Deliver Big Bucks For Fans

Of course, none of us here at FenwayNation ever engage in wagering of any kind. You know that, right? Anyway, eleven very shrewd Red Sox fans who do engage in games of chance came out way ahead recently. They all played some—but not all—of the numbers of retired Red Sox greats. Specifically, all eleven chose to play: 1 (Bobby Doerr); 4 (Joe Cronin); 6 (Johnny Pesky); 8 (Carl Yastrzemski); and 9 (Ted Williams). Each took home $100,000 from the Lottery when those numbers hit in the October 3rd Numbers drawing. Think how big a jackpot we could all get by playing "1-4-6-8-9-14-27-42"!

Bogie To Bobby V.: "Here's Looking At You"

Tim Bogar

After being tagged as a back-stabbing malcontent by Bobby Valentine, former Red Sox bench coach Tim Bogar decided to fight back. Fearing his reputation had been besmirched by the former Boston manager, Bogar set the record straight in an interview with ESPNBoston.com. Said Bogar:

"...the only bad communication was between Bobby and everyone. The rest of the communication was great. I talked to the players daily about stuff. We talked about everything. The coaches talked about everything. The coaching staff was prepared to do everything that we were supposed to do to help Bobby succeed, but not once did he portray what he wanted us to do to help him and eventually he shut some of us out completely."

Bogar has been told he will not be the bench coach going forward (Torey Lovullo is a shoe-in for that role), after he just turned down the same job with the Astros. Bogar should land somewhere soon—hopefully free of the stain left on him by Bobby V.

Honoring Pumpsie Green On His 79th Birthday

Pumpsie Green

Tomorrow, Elijah Jerry "Pumpsie" Green will turn 79 years old. Green was the first African-American player in the history of the Boston Red Sox. He debuted on July 21, 1959—more than 12 years after Jackie Robinson's first game in the majors. It was also fourteen years after Robinson —along with fellow Negro league stars Marvin Williams and Sam Jethroe—tried out for the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Pumpsie Green had a heavy weight to carry on his shoulders in 1959, and he carried it well. One week after his call-up, the great pitcher Earl Wilson joined the team as its second African-American player. Over a span of four years, Green only played in 327 games for Boston, but he got on base at a .353 clip over that span. Early on, he was mostly a pinch-runner and bench replacement for the starters, but in 1960 and 1961 he took on more of a full-time role in the infield. Green was traded to the Mets in 1962, but in recent years has renewed his association with Boston at several commemorative events at Fenway. We salute Pumpsie Green and wish him a very happy 79th birthday!

A Trip Down Memory Lane: 2009 Pontificating

About three years ago—in October of 2009—the Red Sox had just done a quick bow-out from the playoffs (3-0 to the Angels in the ALDS). Back then, we were fairly regular contributors on the "Web Sox Nation" segment of Comcast Sports Net's The Baseball Show (which still airs every Saturday morning during the baseball season). We thought it would be fun to re-visit our final appearance of that year and see what was occupying our collective minds. Interestingly, all kinds of stuff relevant to today—plus, we were advocating for a trade to bring a certain Adrian Gonzalez to Boston. Hey, we're human. Anyway, here's a link to the video from the broadcast segment back on October 17, 2009. Enjoy.

Happy Forty-First Birthday, Pedro!

Photo by Chitose Suzuki

When you actually look back at the stats for Pedro Martinez (who turns 41 today), it's hard to believe he ever lost. In his seven years with the Red Sox, he won exactly 76% of the games he pitched in—better than three of every four. He booked a 2.52 ERA. He struck out 1,683 batters in 1,383 and 2/3 innings (that's 10.9 per nine innings). He walked only 309. His WHIP was 0.978. We all remember the signature Pedro performances—as well as the ridiculous numbers he put up in 1999 and 2000. But, the enormity of his achievements can only be appreciated in the aggregate. For his entire career, by the way, he won over 200 games with an ERA of 2.93. Not too shabby. Next stop, Cooperstown. Happy forty-first birthday, Pedro!

'Era Of Good Feeling' Masks Big Red Sox Holes

There Are Holes Still To Fill

This morning, it feels a lot better to be a fan of the Boston Red Sox than it did even a week ago. The management has quickly decided on a new manager—and John Farrell seems to have the right temperament and skills to match the new 'culture' on Yawkey Way. Ben Cherington seems—for the first time—to be truly in charge and empowered to re-make this team in his image. If rumors are to be believed, they are close to filling two big holes by signing David Ortiz (DH) and Cody Ross (RF). But the "Kumbayah" vibes can't be allowed to gloss over the remaining gaps the team faces—notably at first base, in left field, at shortstop, and in the starting rotation. The options at each of these spots are not particularly abundant. So, despite the fact that John Henry has lots of green to throw around, this is not exactly a robust free agent or trade class. While it's easy for us to pontificate, we would like to see the following moves:

First Base. Sign Adam LaRoche. If he decides to stay in DC, sign Mike Napoli;
Left Field. Trade for Justin Upton. If the price is too steep, sign Torii Hunter;
Shortstop. Let Jose Iglesias have the job, period. For insurance, sign Jason Bartlett;
Rotation. Sign James Shields and R.A. Dickey. If they can't be had (both have 2013 options), then sign Edwin Jackson and Rich Harden.

These would all be reasonable financial moves—well within the guidelines laid down by the organization. Conceivably, we could have the following line-up:

Ellsbury, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Upton, LF
Ortiz, DH
Ross, RF
Middlebrooks, 3B
LaRoche, 1B
Saltalamacchia, C
Iglesias, SS

And, a potential starting rotation of:

1. Buchholz
2. Lester
3. Shields
4. Dickey
5. Lackey

All in all, not a bad team. Certainly better than 69 wins.

Ham Fighters Select Otani In Japanese Draft

The Nippon Ham Fighters selected 18-year old pitching phenom Shohei Otani in the Nippon Professional Baseball Draft. Otani had been in the sights of several MLB teams—including the Red Sox and Empire—but now they'll have to wait until at least April of 2013 to start the bidding. Otani, a high-schooler, can throw in excess of 100 MPH. The Hanshin Tigers selected another young pitcher, Shintaro Fujinami, who some say is even better than Otani. Bobby Valentine—who managed the Chiba Lotte Marines—could not be reached for comment.

Blowback Builds On Bobby V.'s Papi Comments

 David Goldman/Associated Press

As you might expect, Bobby Valentine's outrageous comments that David Ortiz, essentially, quit on his team have resulted in responses on many different fronts. Ortiz's agent stated: "David loves to play this game and has never quit on anyone, and most important of all on this team that means so much to him. He has been a leader on this team and is disappointed in Bobby's remarks." Red Sox GM Ben Cherington—who is in the midst of negotiating a new contract with his designated hitter—stated clearly: "I wouldn't be trying to re-sign him if I had any concern about David's commitment to baseball or to the Red Sox." Why Valentine would choose to throw one of his few defenders under the bus is puzzling, but we've stopped trying to figure out the strange mind of Mr. V.

POLL: Tigers Big Reader Choice In World Series

Early results to our latest FenwayNation Poll suggest that our readers are definitely in a "Motown Mood" when it comes to the Fall Classic. As the chart shows, almost three-quarters (72.7%) of our readers say they are rooting for Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers, while just a little over one-quarter (27.3%) will be pulling for "Crazy Eyes" Hunter Pence and the San Francisco Giants. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

POLL: Who's Your Choice In The World Series?

If Poll Not Visible, Click HERE

World Premiere Of Harry Agganis Film Nov.13

This November 13th, Boston will host the World Premiere of a new documentary film about Harry Agganis—the greatest athlete ever to emerge from New England. The film tells the story of "The Golden Greek" who starred for his hometown football team (Lynn, MA), quarterbacked Boston University's squad and excelled with the baseball team of his youth—the Boston Red Sox. His tragic death at the age of 26 stunned the sports world and left a scar on the local community that has taken decades to heal. This new documentary, titled "Agganis", is a part of that healing effort. It will be shown at the AMC Loews Boston Common Theater (175 Tremont Street) on the evening of Tuesday, November 13th. The general public is invited to purchase tickets to attend the World Premiere and an after party at Gypsy Bar (with open bar and hors d'ouevres). Tickets are $100, with proceeds going to Stand Strong, the Boston Sports Museum's flagship educational program for at-risk kids. You can find out more information on this exciting World Premiere event HERE.

POLL: No Contest! Idiots Of '04 Smite '07 Team

Respondents to our latest FenwayNation Poll left no doubt who they think is the superior Boston championship team. By a whopping 4-1 margin, readers said the 2004 band of "Idiots" would defeat the 2007 World Series champs in a seven-game match-up. As the table shows, more than four in five readers chose the likes of Pedro, Millar, Mueller, and Foulke to the likes of Pedroia, Crisp, Drew, and Papelbon. Of course, there were smatterings of players on both teams—like Schilling, Youkilis, Ortiz and Manny—but there were definite differences in style between the two squads. Both teams showed a resilient streak—in '04 overcoming a 3-0 ALCS deficit and in '07 coming back from a 3-1 ALCS hole. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

REPORT: Lovullo To Be Farrell's Bench Coach

New Bench Coach Torey Lovullo

Multiple reports suggest that Torey Lovullo will follow John Farrell from Toronto to Boston to be the new Red Sox bench coach. Lovullo was Farrell's first base coach in The Great White North. Lovullo also served as the manager of the Pawtucket Red Sox in 2010. Unlike what was afforded Bobby Valentine, Farrell is clearly being given the opportunity to pick his own coaching staff. Look for other members of the Toronto staff to migrate south—like Canadian Geese —over the next few weeks.

Pudge Fisk Arrested For DUI In Illinois Cornfield

This is a tough one. Former Red Sox great and Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk was arrested in an Illinois cornfield on Monday for driving under the influence of alcohol. An open bottle of vodka was found in his Ford F-150 pick-up. He posted bond and is due in court on November 29th. A very sad story for all of us in The Nation.

Valentine Claims Big Papi Quit On 2012 Red Sox

 Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

In an interview that will air tonight on NBC Sports, former Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine claims that David Ortiz quit on the team after the blockbuster Nick Punto Deal in August. Valentine, on Costas Tonight (10 ET, NBC Sports Network), says that Ortiz was only expected to miss one week on the DL instead of the eventual six weeks. Valentine states that after getting a couple of hits, Papi then quit for the season:

"David Ortiz came back after spending about six weeks on the disabled list and we thought it was only going to be a week. He got two hits the first two times up, drove in a couple runs; we were off to the races. Then he realized that this trade meant that we’re not going to run this race and we’re not even going to finish the race properly and he decided not to play anymore. I think at that time it was all downhill from there."

Finally, we get the true measure of Bobby Valentine.

REPORT: Sox And Papi Close To 2-Year Deal

By Patrick Semansky, AP

According to ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes, the Red Sox and David Ortiz have agreed to a two-year deal for the Boston designated hitter—only the financial framework is yet to be worked out. The term of the agreement has always been the stumbling block in the past, so the fact that the ownership agreed to this is an indication that they could not endure the PR hit of losing one of the most popular players in franchise history. A formal announcement of a new deal could come as early as Friday.

Red Sox Officially Introduce John Farrell

John Farrell Address Reporters At Fenway Today

The Red Sox held a press conference this afternoon to officially announce John Farrell as their new manager—the 46th in their storied history. Integrity, intelligence and leadership are the terms Ben Cherington used to describe his new skipper, and Farrell proved the GM right—at least in his introductory remarks. He acknowledged that he had relationships with players on the team—but made it clear that this would not be "taken for granted". He vowed to re-earn the trust of players by re-establishing those relationships. He also made clear that this 2013 Red Sox team will speak with "one voice"—making a not-so-subtle distinction with the Tower of Babel that existed under Bobby Valentine. A good start, a good choice. Now, let's get some players.

A New Manager! And We're Still In October!

by Mark Lawrence, Down Under Editor

Sydney, Australia. This time, the hitherto hapless New Ownership Group can't be faulted. The appointment of John Farrell as manager is probably the smartest decision they've made in a very long time. Farrell knows Boston and Boston likes Farrell—to me, he has a liberal touch of Francona about him and hopefully, he'll inject just a little touch of Tito into his managerial style.

But, ever the pessimist, I urge caution as we wind up 2012 and get ready for Spring Training—don't expect miracles, do not anticipate a 180 degree turnabout in performance or attitudes and do not—repeat do not—expect a sure ride to a post-season berth in 2013. Just let the man do his job—and for heaven's sake, give him some time. The broken machine that Valentine left behind, still sitting on blocks over there on Yawkey Way, is still missing some parts and needs a little gentle and judicious tinkering to get it running again and the fine tuning will likely continue well into the first part of the season. Let's hope the Media Pack will have enough brains to realize that fact and give Farrell a grace period before they start donning the sackcloth and ashes, tearing their hair and moaning about losses. He deserves at least that courtesy.

So, we go what we wanted—a manager most of us can agree about. But, let's be clear—there are now no more excuses left for this team. Long strings of L's, lackluster performance and general malaise can no longer be attributed to the poisonous atmosphere generated by Farrell's predecessor. From Day One of 2013, it's going to be all on the players. Let's hope they deliver.

Aviles Thinks Iglesias Can Do The Job At Short

Aviles At A BoSox Club Luncheon (FN Photo)

After the initial shock, Mike Aviles was OK with the trade that sent him to the Great White North. In an interview with the Globe's Peter Abraham, Aviles expressed excitement at the prospect of getting more playing time in Toronto. He also claimed that there was no rancor among the players either during the September 2011 collapse or the horrific 2012 season. But most interesting of all was his endorsement of his likely replacement—Jose Iglesias. Said Aviles, "I like Jose a lot. I was planning to talk to him a lot in the winter and I still will. He can do the job and I hope they give him the chance. It's fun to watch him play." We second that emotion.

Japanese High-Schooler On Red Sox Radar

Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

Apparently, the last few seasons have not soured the Red Sox on bidding for talent from Japan. After shelling out over $100 million for Daisuke Matsuzaka (for 50 wins in six years), Boston is back in a bidding war for a Japanese pitcher. This time, it's an 18-year old high school player named Shohei Otani (see pic)—who reportedly has a 100-MPH fastball. The Evil Ones, Rangers and Dodgers will also be in on the bidding, so this could end up being another big cash commitment for an unknown quantity. Perhaps the presence (and recent success) of Junichi Tazawa will work in Boston's favor. Tazawa was the first Japanese amateur to jump right to the majors in America—in his case from a corporate team.

POLL: Who's Better—The '04 Or '07 Red Sox?

If Poll Not Visible, Click HERE

Sox Land Yet Another Compensation Carpenter

Chris Young, CANADIAN PRESS

Geez, you'd think the Red Sox needed some re-modeling work in the bullpen with all the 'Carpenters' they keep landing in compensation deals. Yet another pitcher named Carpenter is coming our way (added to the wrong Chris Carpenter who came in the Theo deal). This one—David Carpenter—is about as forgettable as you can get. He was about to be dumped off the Blue Jays' 40-man roster anyway—and would soon have been available to any team for $20,000. Carpenter was part of the big July trade with Houston that brought J.A. Happ and Brandon Lyon to Canada. In his career, the 27-year old right-hander has an underwhelming 5.70 ERA in a grand total of 67 games. Last year for Toronto, he pitched 2 2/3 innings and delivered a whopping 30.38 ERA. Can't wait for his arrival in Fort Myers!

Red Sox Players Are Upbeat About Farrell Hiring

It's All Sunflowers And Unicorns For Now

The fact that influential players like Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz have publicly praised the hiring of John Farrell is obviously a good thing. In stark contrast to the reactions toward Bobby Valentine's hiring a year ago, it can only ease the path for Farrell—a path that will not be easy given the condition of this team. Let's hope the "Good Vibrations" last.

POLL: Three-Quarters Support Farrell Deal

The results of our most recent FenwayNation Poll indicate that more than three of four readers (75.8%) think the deal to bring John Farrell in as manager is a good one for the Red Sox. A little over one in seven readers (15.8%) think it is not a good deal, while 8.4% are holding out judgement until it's known which player we get back from Toronto to complete the swap of Mike Aviles. Well, it's now known that the player is pitcher David Carpenter (no relation to the other pitcher named Carpenter we got in the Theo compensation fiasco). You can still vote in the poll HERE.

POLL: Is Farrell Deal A Good One For Red Sox?

If POLL Not Visible, Click HERE

Adam Lind May Be Part Of Farrell-Aviles Deal

Brad White, Getty Images

Since a manager cannot be dealt for a player, the Blue Jays have to send a player to Boston as part of the total compensation package. Toronto sportswriter Bob Elliott tweets that 1B/DH Adam Lind (see pic) may be headed to Fenway as part of the deal—with Mike Aviles already identified as the player headed north. Lind played in only 93 games in 2012, and has fallen out of favor among the Toronto brass. He is 29 years old and has a career batting average of .265 with 177 HRs over seven seasons. He never has fulfilled the potential the Blue Jays had hoped for, but is still a potent bat. He can take over first base for Boston, or become the new DH if the team fails to reach an agreement with David Ortiz.

Red Sox Sign John Farrell To Multi-Year Deal

Mike Aviles (L) Goes To Jays

UPDATE: Aviles is compensation—Rob Bradford

According to CSNNE.com's Sean McAdam, the Red Sox have hired their former pitching coach, John Farrell, as their next manager. Reportedly, the sides agreed on a three-year deal.

Red Sox Ask Jays To Talk Directly To Farrell

AP PHOTO / ELISE AMENDOLA

UPDATE: Sox Even Closer To Farrell Deal

According to a report from the Associated Press, sources suggest that the Red Sox have formally asked the Blue Jays to speak directly with John Farrell. This is the first hard indication that compensation talks either already have begun or are about to. This information indicates that the Red Sox are closer than ever to landing Farrell as their new manager. Baseball protocol discourages any major announcements before the end of the World Series, but there have been precedents that violated this—most notably A-Fraud encroaching on a Red Sox World Series run.

Red Sox Lose Hitting Coach Magadan To Texas

Magadan And Ellsbury

One of the more successful Red Sox coaches over the last several years has been hitting coach Dave Magadan. Boston has consistently been one of the top offensive teams in the league during Magadan's six-year tenure. The Texas Rangers late today announced that they had hired away Magadan from the Red Sox. So, yet another hole emerges that needs to be filled by Ben Cherignton this off-season.

A-Fraud To Empire Fans: "I'll Be Back!"

From the perspective of Yankee fans, you could argue that the only good thing about the last few days was the likelihood they'd soon be rid of Alex Rodriguez. Rumors flew around the Bronx about negotiations to unload their $30 Million Man on some patsy like the Miami Marlins. Not so fast. A-Fraud has let it be known that he fully expects to be back in his pinstriped glory in 2013 and beyond. And he has the final say, after all, with a full no-trade provision in his contract that runs through 2017. As The Fraudulent One stated: "My focus is to stay here. Let's make that very, very clear. I will be back and I have a lot to prove and I will come back on a mission." Just what fans of the Evil Ones wanted to hear.

1965—The Last Time It Was This Bad At Fenway

The Monstah Back In 1965

We've all been hearing about how this year's edition of the Carmine Hose was the worst since 1965. Indeed, the squad that took the field in the middle of the sixties was pretty awful. Despite boasting a line-up including Carl Yastrzemski, Tony Conigliaro, Rico Petrocelli and Frank Malzone, they could only manage 62 wins against an even 100 losses. To put in perspective how different things were then, here's a list of 1965 costs:

New house: $13,600.00; Avg. Income: $6,450.00; Gallon of Gas: 31 cents; New car: $2,650.00; Loaf of bread: 21 cents; Average Rent: $118.00; Box Seat at Fenway: $3.00. Mercy.

Muddy Chicken Has Successful Finger Surgery

Chicken's Wing Repaired

Dustin Pedroia underwent successful finger (right pinky) surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn ligament that had plagued him since late July. A pin was inserted in the finger, which will stay there for about a month. The Laser Show should be ready to go at full tilt in plenty of time for Spring Training. Despite this and other injuries (fractured left ring finger), Pedroia was voted as the FenwayNation Player O' The Year for 2012 after hitting .290 with 15 HRs and 20 stolen bases.

Sox May Be Very Close To Landing John Farrell

Farrell Deal Imminent?

According to multiple reports, the Red Sox and Blue Jays are closer than ever to resolving the compensation issue that would bring John Farrell to Boston as their new manager. Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald reports that Toronto sources indicate that Farrell is "gone" and that the Jays are looking for a "decent player" that will impact their team at the major league level right away. It's unclear who that could be on the current Boston roster, but it does sound like the Red Sox have made their choice and that choice is Farrell.

Evil Ones Are Most Futile Post-Season Team

William Perlman/The Star-Ledger

The Pinstriped Posers were swept out of the playoffs in four straight by the Detroit Tigers last night. But an even better factoid is that the Spankees had a .188 team batting average over their nine post-season games—the worst ever in MLB playoff history through at least seven games. The extent of their futility is only made sweeter by the fact that they are a bigger mess than the Red Sox this off-season. The humiliation and pending trade of A-Fraud, the possible career-threatening injury of their Captain, the ridiculously burdensome contracts that honeycomb their roster—all will face Brian Cashman as he waits on the 14th tee this week-end. Couldn't happen to a better bunch of guys.

Happy Yankee Elimination Day, Everybody!

The second most glorious day of the year has arrived—Yankee Elimination Day! Just a smidgen behind a World Series Clinching Day for the Red Sox, Yankee Elimination Day brings smiles to the faces of everyone in The Nation. Making it all the more luxurious this year is the pathetic offensive performance of the Pinstriped Posers. What could be sweeter than a four-game sweep of the team we all love to hate? Hallelujah! Let's have a parade through The Canyon Of Zeros!

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