Examing The Red Sox Situation For 2007: Offense

With the horrifying, dreadful, obscenely appaling, god-awful month of August just about ready to reach its brutal end, and the 2006 season for the Artists Formerly Known As the Boston Red Sox all but over, there??s only one area to turn: the off-season ahead. Looking ahead to 2007 may heal some wounds that these last few weeks have brought Sox Nation. We??re rapidly becoming younger as a group with many of our top prospects gaining valuable experience with all of the injuries in 2006. The upcoming free-agent class is loaded with talented hitters that can bring our lineup to the next level and bring competition to the Yankees loaded batting order, or some pitching arms that could aid a rotation with abnormally high ERA and hits allowed totals. Let??s examine the team this year and what positions we need to focus on:
C- Jason Varitek (.243/.331/.411, 11 HR, 50 RBI in 304 AB) 2 yrs/18M remaining
C- Javy Lopez (.257/.303/.394, 8 HR, 35 RBI in 335 AB) free agent
C- Doug Mirabelli (.184/.259/.347, 6 HR, 21 RBI in 147 AB) free agent
Obviously, Jason Varitek is a lock to remain the starting catcher next season, weak offensive production or not. The repercussions of his injury is quite evident over the month of August and is needed to catch this pitching staff. He is viewed as a solid defensive catcher with a strong arm and I find it hard to believe he??ll repeat that lackluster batting average next season. My feeling is that Varitek was slightly injured all season and he played through it (there are those small reports of buttocks tightness, laugh with me), just like our Captain would do. The real question is regarding the backup catcher. Mirabelli will be extremely cheap and is needed for Wakefield unless Wake tells Francona otherwise. Javy Lopez will not be re-signed next season.
1B- Kevin Youkilis (.288/.387/.444, 13 HR, 65 RBI in 493 AB) under Sox control
1B- Eric Hinske (.258/.342/.485, 12 HR, 31 RBI in 233 AB) 1 yr/2.8M remaining
1B- Carlos Pena (.260/.370/.455, 19 HR, 66 RBI in 381 AB)* free agent
Youkilis will hold a starting position next season, whether that be at first base or third base is unknown. If Mike Lowell is not shopped around, pencil in the 27-year old Youkilis at the Red Sox first baseman next season, who could hit around .298/.397/.474. Hinske is under the Sox control next season with the Sox and Jays splitting his salary for 2007. Even with his slow bat speed (you??re welcome Sam), you can??t look over his .485 SLG for a backup first baseman. He is also valuable in playing third or right field. The Sox will likely make an effort to sign Carlos Pena to a minor league deal, but I wouldn??t be on Pena staying with the team next season.
2B- Mark Loretta (.299/.357/.377, 4 HR, 51 RBI in 528 AB) free agent
2B- Alex Cora (.264/.350/.308, 0 HR, 14 RBI in 182 AB) free agent
2B- Dustin Pedroia (.301/.379/.421, 4 HR, 45 RBI in 399 AB)** under Sox control
Most people are saying Pedroia is the starting second baseman for the Sox in 2007. I disagree. We should do one of three options instead:
1) Sign Julio Lugo to play second base and re-sign Cora for our utility infielder
2) Sign Loretta to a one-year deal, re-sign Cora, and keep Pedroia in the minors
Watching Pedroia over these last few weeks, he should get 200 more AB in the minors next season at least. He just doesn??t seem to be ready. Loretta is so consistent, you can practically guarantee he??ll hit at least .290, albeit with a low slugging percentage and few XBH. Plus, would Julio Lugo really be comfortable at second base? Oh yes, that third option:

Sign Alfonso Soriano.
Now, I??m not much of a Soriano fan and trashed him lengthily in his years in Texas for striking out so much and underachieving in a bandbox ballpark. But his production and effort this season is too much to overlook. Soriano has a .605 SLG, 42 HR, 83 RBI in the leadoff spot, 34 SB and has been very durable in 2006. Not only would this make our lineup lethal to compare with the Yankees (who have everyone back), but it would be that big splash Theo converts that shifts the direction of this team to a winning attitude. He??s 30 years old and in the prime of his career, and unlike Damon, I??d be willing to spend 80-85 million on this guy over six years. I??m not crazy. Soriano is somebody that projects to be very potent for the next 3-4 years and still solid in the latter portion of his career. Any defensive downgrade would be made up for with the offensive improvement. Plus, all the money we saved from Pedro/Damon can be used. Believe me folks, John Henry has the dough.
SS- Alex Gonzalez (.270/.316/.416, 9 HR, 43 RBI in 341 AB) free agent
Sign Gonzalez. The gold-glove defense is too hard to replace. If Gonzalez should sign with another team and Lugo is still on the market, Theo should go hard after him.
3B- Mike Lowell (.288/.343/.468, 15 HR, 62 RBI in 472 AB) 1 yr/9M remaining
Theo Epstein??s strong effort to deal Mike Lowell around the deadline this year shows he is fearsome of Lowell??s annual second-half decline and would be reluctant to give Lowell the third baseman job for 2007. If he can somehow find a new home, maybe with San Diego or Los Angeles, for Lowell, Theo will jump on the opportunity, even if he has to pay for a portion of Lowell??s contract. The one factor helping Lowell is the utter lack of talented free-agent third baseman (Rich Aurilia is the #1 option). Unless Theo is willing to take another chance with Shea Hillenbrand?