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Red Sox GM Ben Cherington: ‘Fair question’ whether free agents want to come to Boston 11.09.12 at 6:50 am ET
By Rob Bradford

Ben Cherington

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — For years, the Red Sox have been one of the most prominent destinations for free agents. The team’s mix of large payrolls and perennial contender status has created a natural draw for players on the open market, whether they are seeking short- or long-term deals.

This year, that equation is a bit different. With the Sox having finished last year with a 69-93 record, players in the late stages of their careers who are seeking the best opportunity to win a championship have reason to wonder whether Boston is the most likely place for them to do so. Sox GM Ben Cherington acknowledged as much on Thursday at the GM meetings.

“It’s a question and it’s a fair question. It’s one we haven’t had to answer in most offseasons and I think you answer by telling people that you rely on the track record here and the commitment from ownership to put a lot of resources into the team and the reality that this is Boston,” said Cherington. “We’re going to build a team as quickly as we can. There’s not a two-, three-, four-, five-year plan. The conventional thought amongst players and agents is that Boston will work as hard as they can to be competitive, but sure we have to talk about it more this offseason than we have in past offseasons.”

Cherington acknowledged that the Sox have considerable amounts of work to do before they can claim to be contenders once again.

“It’s more than health. We’ve got to add talent and players wins games more than anything else. We need more talent on the roster,” said Cherington. “Certainly there are other things we can do better or get better breaks on, such as health and things like that. Those things matter and those things will help. We’ve just got to build a better team and that’s the bottom line. … We’ve got plenty of work to do. We’ve got to add to the outfield. We’ve got to figure out first base and we would like to add to the rotation. There’s plenty of work, yeah.”

That holds true of a lineup that currently features a potentially strong top half of the order with Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Will Middlebrooks.

“It’s got to improve,” Cherington said. “We have to add to it to be the type of offense that we need to have to be good over a six-month season. We’ve got to add to the lineup.”

Given that reality, even while Cherington is working to convince free agents that the Sox are doing everything they can to compete next year, he’s also trying to measure public expectations about whether the Sox might contend in 2013.

“I think how I feel is that fans in Boston are sort of tired of hearing how good we are in the winter and we just have got to be good, build a team that wins and does the right things and a lot of that is the players on the roster, that’s the focus right now and do the best we can to build a team this winter and when we get to spring training it will shift towards our players are here and how do we put them in the best position to win,” said Cherington. “Enough’s happened, I think people are tired of hearing how good we may or may not be, we’ve just got to get to work and build the thing up.”

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  • Fair Question

    It’s not just whether Boston can contend next year or in the next 2-3 years.

    It’s also whether a free agent would want to sign with an organization that appears to be moving away from big, top dollar contracts and even arguing over pennies on the dollar over mid tier players. While this is somewhat justified given how Carl Crawford, John Lackey, and other high profile busts in recent years have panned out, keep in mind that Cody Ross’s “demands” also appear “excessive” in the Red Sox FO eyes.

    Most importantly, it’s also whether a player would want to play for a GM like Larry Lucchino, who has become notorious for throwing players and managers under the bus on their way out of town. Of course, Lucchino is nowhere as divisive as Bobby V was, but keep in who brought in Bobby V  in the first place and why his beloved predecessor would “never come back to the Red Sox organization under any circumstances”. Theo Epstein seems pretty bitter about his dealings with Lucchino too.

  • George

    It’s also a question of whether or not that free agent wants to risk having a fanbase turn on them at the drop of a hat if (GOD FORBID) they don’t 100% live up to expectations and the money they are paid.  Or even worse, possibly have racial comments thrown at them.

  • Rob Woodwards’ peach cobbler

    Enough with everyone crying about Larry Lucchino, how does everyone know with such authority that he’s the problem?? Sources..no? O.K. it’s just specualtion and wishcasting then. I hate to tell you this Larry is a good baseball mind and we are lucky to have him, he makes mistakes like anyone , and unless you got the memo he’s part of the ownership group and is not going anywhere and cannot be fired. Geez all you turncoat fans who just follow sports to complain..crazy. I see you mamaged to also drag Bobby into this too..by the way he’s fired..so I’m sure you’ll miss him as he made complaining a sport for people in which baseball was secondary. If you hate the Sox and all they stand for so much..why not try rooting for the Astros or other teams that suck consistantly . This cult of mopey entitled Red Sox fans with short memories in the modern era  gets old…

  • Nsjsjs

    Mike aviles was nearly as productive as ross and his meager .320obp
    No surprise there sox dont sogn him, not a. Bill james guy

  • Doug

    I’ve got one word, Lucchino!  Just as the fair question poster stated, this guy is the drawback to a sucessful franchise, until he leaves there will always be big questions about obtaining the best players, will they come, will they stay, with Larry Lucchino lurking, I don’t think so, he’s a terrible name to have in your FO, it’s like advertising you’re a disease and coming here might make you infected.  A sad state of affairs to say the least as horrible as it sounds, it’s true, get rid of Larry and progress will really start, otherwise for every step forward, two steps back, when the FO realizes this they might act, by then it’ll  probably be to late.

  • Doug

    People like you get old, every fan has a right to free speech, you come off a corporate 1% er that is mad becasue your favorite job exporter lost for the Prez!  Get with the program, you as well as anyone in Boston knows what a negative influence Leaping Larry is, he over rode the wishes or wants of others to hire Bobby V, if he’s such a Great man, how could he have made such a bonehead decisiion?  Easy, he’s not a great man, he’s contreversial shyster that loves publicity,  I’ve been rooting for the Red Sox since 1950 and really resent idiots like yourself lording your psuedo high & might theme over most fans, they care and they have a right to gripe over the idiotic moves of the FO who in fact is run by this tyrant.

  • Doug

    Yeah I’ve got to laugh at Ross, this guy wants the moon after last season, he’s a menace to navagition in the out field, bull in the china shop syndrome.  Striikes out way to much, what a joke, let him go immediately if not sooner, this guy is a waste and all of a sudden he’s got an over inflated ego. 

  • Gpearsoll

    Cherington is so delirious. Free agents aren’t going to come to Boston because of the team’s multiple problems.(holes at 1B, SS, C, OF and the rotation) and lack of decent pitching on the team.

  • Bill

    yes rob, what a lineup we have in ellsbury, pedroia, ortiz and middlebrooks! one’s on the last year of his contract and spends most of his time “injured”, our best player hit 290 with 65 rbi’s, another’s probably 40 and exaggerated an injury so he could quit on his team, and another’s an unproven 24 year old with one year of experience. keep drinking the kool-aid the ownership stirs up for you.

  • Elaine Apthorp

    Last I checked, if you offer free agents the money they’re looking for you tend to sign them. Exceptions exist. But it’s a pretty steady bet.

  • Jack Chase

    Yeah, we sure are lucky to have Lucky!  NOT!

  • Rob Woodwards’ peach cobbler

    Yea ..I guess you’re right..it’s much easier to be angry and bitter about sports than to enjoy them. Speaking of free speech I have a right to disagree, and I have no idea what your politicaly tinged 1% comment has to do with me trying to be logical about Larry but hey..you know as usual if you don’t agree with someone on the internet throw out straw man arguments. I have a right to be rational and balanced….so you just keep flipping out over things that won’t change. By the way unless you have sources ..it’s called baseless speculation and opinion(as in it was Larry ALONE that wanted Bobby..)..enjoy being angry about baseball …………………..

  • Boston_Sports

    Key word POTENTIAL…….and where has it been…….no one really knows. Huge payroll. Guaranteed contracts. Beer and Fried Chicken. Yup……three years of non playoff appearances. Two under Tito and One under Bobby V.

  • Doug

    Nice Ben, well written, I wish you and the rest of the FO well in getting us off the ground. I just heard last night that the Dodgers are out of the running for Hunter, so that leaves the big players at N.Y. & Detriot, we’ve got to get this guy Ben, have Big Papi work over time to secure this productive player here in Boston.

  • Doug

    Thus all the problems stem from Lucchino, he’s been the source of many articles.  He regretably holds his rank over all his underlings and abuses his priviledge as a CEO, sad state of affairs, if Larry can be tempted to move out of the FO, the Red Sox would be much more successful than present, a given I know, his name alone must cause potentail Free Agensts to pause and think before going elsewhere, yet we are stuck with him, this is an albatross that no team should be saddled with, plus I think another thing that makes Free Agents reluctant to come to Boston is the local Media, they seem liked starved vultures and run all these Peyton Place type gossip shows 24/7 this has got to cause some player, hey, forget Boston, I want some peace in my life.  The main objective now is to somehow get Larry Lucchion to go elsewhere.

  • Doug

    You have got to be the most brainwashed champion of an innefficient FO, Leaping Larry your insidious hero has ruined this FO, in one short year he hired Bobby V over many objections, thus raining down torrents of criticism, in the past he’s fouled up everything and everything, yet idiot stooges like you stick up for this shyster, shame on you and your ilk. Go find another job exporter to elect.

  • Doug

    You and the few that you represent are so irrational and skewed, your comments elicit laughter, free speech has noting to do with this, anyone can speak his or her piece and that is what we are doing, you are sounding like Hitler defending one of his henchmen! We don’t have to come to this site with Lawyers and nitpickers to pick apart every paragraph, apparantly you have trouble with the truth when it is tossed your way and react like any out raged chid that got caught in the candy jar, just lighten up and join the movement to eradicate Leaping Larry, the big obstacle to Red Sox success.

  • Doug

    Leaping Larry really picked a winner didn’t he?  

  • manny

    report: pats sign abraham

  • CAPatsFan

    Both players are no longer full-time field performers. Meh.

  • tedsox

    Don’t forget the ability to mentor Jones. It would be nice for Jones to learn the ropes from a veteren pass rusher like either of these guys. Jones certainly has the physical ability he just needs knowledge and experience.

  • Anonymous

    Some veteran leadership on D is just what these younger players need

  • psycho1039

    Donald Jones signed

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