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Post ID	Date & Time	Game Date	Function
#12157	11/24/2014 4:06:35 pm		Ignore
TheBaconator Joined: 08/03/2014 Posts: 70 Inactive	Post any opinions here. Many of the top free agent signings are already done, but where do you think the rest of the big names will go? What moves do you think could make or break a team?
#12161	11/24/2014 10:22:20 pm
admin Joined: 01/27/2010 Posts: 5045 Administrator	Looks like Boston is moving on Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval. I don't know if Ramirez will project well playing in Fenway, but I've always favored a short stop that fields better and doesn't necessarily have the biggest bat. He's is also injured a lot for a guy you're giving $88M to. Steve
#12164	11/25/2014 5:18:01 am		Ignore
Holmes Joined: 11/07/2013 Posts: 1175 Inactive	Xander Bogaerts isn't much of a defender, either, but for all I know, the Sox have no intention of letting Ramirez play shortstop. CBS's Jon Heyman (who tends to be pretty good on such things) writes that he'll be Boston's regular left fielder http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24837304/hanley-also-in-agrement-with-red-sox-in-offense-overhaul, which should be interesting in itself, at least while he's new. Left field in Fenway is tiny, but bounces off the green monster tend to be pretty hard to predict for inexperienced outfielders... I don't expect much noise from the Yankees this offseason. Their primary targets will be pretty much who they had: David Robertson, Chase Headley, Brandon McCarthy, Steven Drew and Hiroki Kuroda. After two seasons of disastrous shortstops and with no really good options in free agency, they might be tempted for a trade, but I doubt that they'll sell out the farm for Troy Tulowitzki, and Elvis Andrus would be another expensive long-term commitment, so it might be smarter to hope for a rebound from Drew. The may go for one of the big starter names, but only if they miss out on McCarthy while one of them is still available. If they lose Robertson or Kuroda, they'll probably try to fill those voids from within or from the scrap heap. If Headley goes, it might be easier to move Prado to 3B and get a power-hitting outfielder. Nobody wanted Sandoval's belly wobbling around the hot corner in the Bronx, anyway. For 2B, I think (and hope) they'll just get one or two scrap heap veterans to slug it out in spring training with prospects Rob Refsnyder and Jose Pirela. Backup 1B should be no issue, either, as ARod and Beltran can't both DH at the same time, Kyle Roller from AAA will probably clear the rule 5 draft, and from AA, you hear Greg Bird knocking at the door louder and louder. Doesn't sound too formidable, but much better than adding another $200 million in dead weight for the future.

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