151 Days

[amsteel]

I just watched a bunch of Red Sox fans celebrate their team win the World Series in their hometown. I like Boston, I like the Red Sox, but sitting there in the bar I didn't feel a thing be cause it wasn't my team.

Do I expect the Sox to do anything next year? Hell no. But could they? Hell yes.

Hope springs eternal, starting now. On October 31 2012 or October 31 2004 very few Sox fans of either color thought they'd be on top of the world one year later.

Opening day is in 151 days. 151 cold, dark days. I bitch as much as anyone about how the Sox are run and how they perform, but right now, even if it's for a day, only because that faint, misguided, hope is what get me through the winter, I believe that next year is our year.

151 days.

[cards press box]

Originally Posted by amsteel

Do I expect the Sox to do anything next year?

I do. I like the direction in which the team is going and I am looking forward to the 2014 season.

[blandman]

I expect a lot next year. I expect the beginning of a long overdue, long term rebuilding effort at every level. We're finally on the right track after stalling for more than half a decade.

[TomBradley72]

I'm increasingly impressed with Hahn- the Garcia and Abreu acquisitions along with E. Johnson's performance in his Sept call up are some nice injections of young talent onto the roster.

I also like the comments he made during the Abreu press conference about being aggressive and taking calculated risks.

I think he will bring a more "disciplined aggression" than the late years of the KW era-

Still big holes at CF, 3rd, C- between FA and some pitching to deal- hopefully they can plug a few of those over the winter.

[DumpJerry]

Remember this:
Nearly 10% of the Red Sox roster was on the White Sox roster earlier this season.

[harwar]

I too, am optimistic about next year .. i like everything that Hahn has done so far, including the new hitting coach .. i'm not dreaming of pennants just yet, but if they make it to .500, that's a good step up, i say..

[Rocky Soprano]

I love the moves that have been made and think next year will be better. The one thing that does concern me is how much it appears that Kenny Williams was involved with the Abreu signing. While I love the signing, I really want and hope that Hahn is getting the opportunity to do his thing and that he is not Kenny's puppet.

[waldo_the_wolf]

Well, in 2004 the Red Sox ended their 80+year championship drought and the following season the White Sox ended an 80+year drought of their own. This year, we're hearing all about the Red Sox winning at home for the first time in 95 years, so it would only fit the pattern that next year the White Sox capture their first home-clinched world series title in 108(!) years.

[MeteorsSox4367]

Prior to this season, Boston hadn't won a World Series at home since 1918. And we all remember (or try to forget) who represented the AL in the World Series one season later.

I wouldn't mind seeing the Sox play the Reds again. Hopefully, the result would be different.

That said, I'm cautiously optimistic about 2014. Like the Abreu signing, like what kids like Johnson and Semien brought when they were up.

Good or bad, the missing of and the longing for Sox baseball has begun.

[TheVulture]

It's questionable whether Leury can hit, but even if he can't he seems like he could be a valuable bench player with his ability to play centerfield and all the infield spots, along with his awesome base running ability. So I count him as another good pickup.

[SoxSpeed22]

I'm really looking forward to this offseason. I think Abreu is a good start. As long as a few things are patched up, we can get good things done in 2014.

[ChicagoG19]

I am not expecting a World Series next year, but I don't .500 is out of the question. In Hahn we trust.