2012 Cherington Campaign: Puzzle Piece #3

Andrew Bailey is coming to the Red Sox, y'all! What are you doing right now? Have you high-fived someone about this yet? This is huge news for us, Red Sox nation. First of all, Bailey is locked up for 3 seasons, so we have a young, proven back-of-the-rotation stud who can close games for us for years to come. Secondly, this means that Mark Melancon can set the table for Bailey and help close games when we need a spot closer. And lastly, this means Daniel Bard is assured a chance in the Red Sox rotation. He wont have to look over his shoulder anymore. We have a closer, Daniel. You go win games now as a starter. Bard joins Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz in the Sox rotation with fellow converted reliever Alfredo Aceves. These guys can count on a couple of gems at the end of the bench in Mark Melancon and now Andrew Bailey. I look at those names and I feel pretty good about our chances winning games next season.

Ben Cherington gets his man. We've been reading for weeks how the Red Sox were in line for this player or that. Gio Gonzalez was supposed to be ours, but I guess the Oakland A's liked what the Washington Nationals had to offer better. But Cherington got this Bailey trade done and that brings a smile back to our faces. It makes me wonder if the Sox are done dealing. The Boston media have been reporting that the Sox are still in on Matt Garza from the Cubs. I'll believe we get anything from Theo when I see it.

Andrew Bailey is a Red Sox! Are you kidding me? The first person I see at work tomorrow I am going to high-five. They'll ask me why and I'll reply with two words, Andrew...Bailey.

Great Expectations

What do we expect from the Red Sox closer? I was thinking about this today. Just save games, right? Seems simple enough. But under the surface, our needs are slightly more complicated. Let me explain.

We want our closer to be serious. Jonathan Papelbon got away with being a clown because for the most part, he got the job done. But Pap was Pap - we need someone who takes the job more serious than life itself. When our closer comes out of the bullpen, we don't want smiles -- we want Dirty Harry.

We want our closer to be durable. No rest for the injured here. If our closer can get out of bed, he will be closing, every night.

We want our closer to be Mariano Rivera-esque. You would be lying if you said you wouldn't have paid cash money to have had Rivera as the Red Sox closer. The guy is everything any organization would want to represent them in the 9th inning. The guy does a lot off the field too. Rivera is money. Our closer has to have that staying power (or at least fool us into thinking he can).

We want our closer to be electrifying. If you close for the Red Sox, you have to believe in the culture, understand the tradition and basically geek out like the rest of us that you are indeed the closer for the Boston Red Sox! Bring it, every night, brother.

Is this too much to ask? I say not.

Mark Melancon (pictured above), welcome to the party. Are you ready to be our save-yor? If you didn't know, we expect a lot.

2012 Cherington Campaign: Puzzle Piece #2

I don't care who made the final decision to bring on Bobby Valentine. It could be Lucchino and Henry or martians for all I care. I am just relieved that we finally got a manager worth his salt. And I was smiling all day when I saw that Valentine had gone to the Domincan Republic the day after he was announced to visit David Ortiz and play in his charity golf tourney. You gotta love this guy, right? Spitfire comes to mind.

So we have a manager. Cherington might like it, he might not -- like I said, I don't care. In all of this, I realize that the most important compoent in Red Sox nation is just that -- the nation itself. That's you. That's me. We DO matter because our love is what fuels the engine, puts butts in the seats and buys the jerseys and hats. "Someone" approved of Bobby Valentine and for that I am extremely grateful.

I read and watched everything I could about Valentine the day he was announced. The thing that stuck out the most to me was how much he wanted this. He was so nervous during the final interview process and you could feel the excitement just oozing off of him at the press conference. I love that. I don't want pretense and false assurances. I want honest, passionate leadership. People tell me all the time it's not good to wear your heart on your sleeve. Why not? What's wrong with showing people how you feel? We live in the status update age. People are dying to tell us that they just ate a rotten apple and feel like puking. Bobby IS the right guy, right now.

Welcome aboard, Mr. Valentine. You haven't managed a single game yet, but thanks....for caring.