If we want to acquire Adrian Gonzalez, Prince Fielder, or other, we need a spot to play them.

Ideally I don’t think the Red Sox ever wanted to move a 31 year old Youkilis to 3rd. They have a proven asset at 1st, and why risk that? Come 2011 they probably wont want to move a 32 year old 1st baseman to 3rd.

So if you want to acquire a slugger for this team, the position that will make most sense will be DH.

Unless an Adrian Gonzalez, a slugging 1st baseman with an exceptional glove, comes at a great price, it won’t ever make sense for the team to move Youkilis to 3rd.

Good luck to Ortiz this year.

If it happens to be his last year in a Red Sox uniform, he’s done us proud and left some long LONG lasting memories.

I also heard that Ortiz had some sort of family issue that was really wearing on him in the first half of last season. And I personally believe that the shift has gotten into his head a bit. (He should bunt his way out of it, but that’s another story.)

He’s gone from a guy who could hit a homer off anyone at any time to a guy who can’t hit lefties or good pitchers. Age, injury, and other factors have weighed him down a bit but if he’s healthy, hopefully he’ll put up the Bill James projected line.

The key I think will be his splits. If he is just a decent DH against lefties, good pitchers, and in road games, then the Sox will be in great shape.