This is simple: we invite bloggers from a specific team to answer and debate a set of five questions I have previously sent them.  Their answers are below.  Readers are invited to debate the answers with the bloggers themselves in the Comments section below.

The goal is to provide a platform for bloggers to debate their team and philosophies in one place and have fun while doing that.  We plan on publishing two Bloggers Roundtable a week (Tuesday and Saturday), in order to give readers a regular look at news and opinions from their respective teams' bloggers community.

All the previous Roundtables can be found in this folder.
The Boston Red Sox bloggers are:

Randy Booth - Over the Monster
Melissa - Out In Center Field


Question 1: Are you prepared to give either or both Jacoby Ellsbury or Jon Lester in addition to other prospects in order to obtain Johan Santana?

Randy: I'd deal Lester, Jed Lowrie, Justin Masterson and Coco Crisp for Johan Santana -- that trade has been on the table for months now -- but I'm notwilling to trade Elllsbury in the proposed trades I've seen so far. Although I think Lester will have a great 2008 season, I think he's expendable to get a pitcher like Santana. Lowrie is a great prospect but he's blocked right
now. Masterson is another strong prospect but I'm willing to part with him.  Crisp is great for the trade because Ellsbury will take his role in center field anyways. Essentially, if we trade Ellsbury we're left with Crisp in center field again. If we trade Lester, we just slide Santana into the
rotation and we're that much stronger.

Melissa: I'm greedy - I want them all. Is that so much to ask?

My thoughts on the Santana Situation*™* have run the gamut this offseason.  In the afterglow of the World Series victory, I couldn't bear the thought of parting ways with Lester or Ellsbury.  But I came to my senses when I realized I was entirely too emotionally attached to contemplate losing anyone on that team (except Gagne - I would have personally paid someone to take him off our hands... thanks Brewers!)   It was that blinding glare off the shiny, shiny World Series trophy!  It was clouding my rational judgment! 

Afterglow aside, I am now prepared to give up Lester. I admire and respect him and appreciate what he has done for the Sox, but of course I'm prepared to deal him for an ace. I have even managed to prepare myself to give up Ellsbury, although I don't prefer to.  But I am not yet prepared to give up both Ellsbury and Lester in the same package to obtain Santana.  If Theo can nab Santana for a Lester, Lowrie, Masterson and Crisp package- I will be thrilled.  But not both prospects.  Not unless there's some kind of creative 5-2 swap.

Ultimately, I want Santana in Boston home whites - but if not, I want to minimize the collateral damage.  Ideally, that means he ends up on a crappy non-contender (a crappy non-contender in the NL would be perfect), or stays with the Twins in '08 and goes to FA at the end of the year.  But if he ends up on a contender like the Mets, I would be satisfied.  Or maybe "relieved" is a better word.

Question 2: Would you like to see the Red Sox Front Office give long-term contracts to Kevin Youkilis and/or Terry Francona?  Why?

Randy: Terry Francona will definitely earn a long-term contract either before spring training or during spring training. The Red Sox front office have had a wonderful relationship with Francona (not to mention two World Series trophies) so they're going to wrap him up as soon as they can, but they've got other more important things on the table right now. As far as Youkilis goes, I'd love to see them re-sign him to a long-term deal. I think they eventually will but not until they *have *to. Youkilis has proved his worth at the plate and especially in the field.

Melissa: I think it may be more of a question whether Youk would be willing to go for a long-term deal at this point.  I would be very happy to see the front office offer him a long-term contract- he's got excellent defensive skills and that.390 OBP was lovely to have on the offensive side.  But the front office will likely want a discount on a multi-year deal, and Youk might choose to take one-year deals until the looming specter of free agency drives his price up to the level he'd like.  I'm hoping he would jump on the trendy Schilling-Lowell "We Heart The Sox" train, and forego the siren song of free agency for a guaranteed deal.

To me, the Francona deal is much simpler - I'd like him signed to a multi-year deal.  And I have a feeling totally unsubstantiated by any actual factual evidence that if the Sox offered, the deal would get done.  I would also like John Farrell to agree to stay on our staff until the end of time
(or at least until he retires) - though I'm not sure that I'll get that wish.  I am not above starting a "Stay, Coach Farrell" chant if I need to.

Question 3: Manny Ramirez's future with Boston depends on the club options in 2009-10 (20 M$/year) and Jason Varitek becomes a free agent after next season.  What do you want to see happen during or after the 2008 season?

Randy: I'd love to see both of Manny's options picked up for 2009 and 2010. At that point, I think Manny will call it quits on a fantastic Hall of Fame career and have his number retired to right field in Fenway Park. That's my ideal situation. As far as Varitek goes, I'd like to see the Sox offer him a two-year contract or extension to keep him in Boston. I think three or four years would be too much. I'm not sure if Varitek will finish his career as a catcher, but I hope he finishes it as a Red Sox.

Melissa: Dear, sweet, kooky Manny.  If 2007 was the start of a downward trend for him, and the offensive decline continues in 2008, I don't see being able to summon any enthusiasm for paying him at his contract option price, even with the current market rate for outfielders.  But if he rebounds with a season nearing .900 OPS, or a 145-ish OPS+, I will be fine with exercising his '09 option at $20MM.  If Andruw Jones gets $18MM, Manny for $20MM at those offensive stat levels is OK - at the very least, it would give the team a stopgap while the long-term LF situation is sorted.  Manny's bat is essentially irreplaceable, you're not going to find a "replacement" for him at the plate.  But his defensive weaknesses make it possible to sacrifice
some offense (if the load can properly be allocated down the rest of the batting order) and still come out even stevens on overall production (or slightly improved?) with the right balanced defensively/offensively skilled fielder to slot in.

As for Varitek - we have Mirabelli!  Why would we need to look any further?  Let's just sign The Stud Who HIts Bombs to a multi-year deal, and be done with it!

Back in the real world...  In my opinion, the catcher's position is where our most desperate need is developing.  We need a long-term solution there, and how.  The Cash Experiment did not work out with satisfactory results, and Kotteras has not progressed to the level of a solid #2-- and there are doubts whether he could ever be a #1.  The Varitek contract is therefore the
center puzzle piece in sorting out the catcher's position not just for the next 3-4 years, but for the next 10-12.  I'd love to see us get a solid catching talent into Fenway this year, and then sign Varitek to a 2-year extension so that he can mentor and transition in that prospect to the
full-time role.  Ideally, the prospect would be solid enough to jump in immediately as legitimate relief for Varitek- because I don't think we can expect him to keep up with only one day off every trip through the rotation.  I expect the Sox will follow the Lowell model, and hold out until
the offseason to negotiate - because I think Boras is not going to let Tek agree to the type of hometown discount it would take to get the deal done before then.


Question4: Do you think Julio Lugo should be the starting shortstop in 2008 and
beyond?  Explain.

Randy: I wasn't too happy with Lugo's 2007 campaign, but I'm always for giving a guy a second shot. I think 2008 will be a successful second shot for him. I think Edgar Renteria, Alex Gonzalez and Orlando Cabrera all deserved a second year, but none got them. The Red Sox front office is extremely high on Lugo so we'll probably see him for at least one more full season.

Melissa: I don't know how he managed it, but my general dissatisfaction with Lugo at SS has worn away into acceptance.  Maybe it's that Afterglow again - that's a killer, I'm telling you.  After his trip to Mendoza land earlier this season, he seems to have recovered on the offensive side of the ball - and defensively, he is at least an above-average or better shortstop (his 2007
PMR was 101.14- ranking him #11 overall).  I feel like our needs for a 4th outfielder, and a long-term LF and C are so much more pressing, that I am fine with keeping Lugo at SS through the end of his contract.   

Question 5: Do you see the Red Sox ever leaving Fenway Park?  Why?

Randy: Never. The front office knows how important Fenway Park is to the infrastructure of Red Sox Nation and if they tore it down, they'd be tearing down the glue of their fan base. Fenway Park is a haven for not just Red Sox fans, but all baseball fans. Without Fenway Park, the Red Sox organization would lose a lot of its luster.

Melissa: I suppose if Wrigley Field can be renamed, anything is possible... but I doubt it.  The owners, especially someone like Lucchino (who was so instrumental in upgrading Camden Yards for the O's without sacrificing the history, feel and quirks of the park), seem to be committed to modernizing Fenway- not trying to build yet another new soulless ballpark that attempts to recreate the spirit of what Fenway already has.


BDD would like to thank Randy and Melissa for their participation.  We now invite everyone to debate and discuss the answer and other topics in the Comments section below.