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Red Sox Won Big at Winter Meetings With Short-Term Deals

Shane Victorino (Keith Allison/Flickr.com)

Yes, the Boston Red Sox lost out on the Josh Hamilton sweepstakes to the Los Angeles Angels, but that does not mean that the 2013 season is even close to lost.

The Red Sox added some key pieces that will help over the next several seasons while developing their prospects into MLB-level talent. Here are a few reasons why the Red Sox are winners:

Clubhouse Presence

The three additions of Mike Napoli (pending a holdup in the contract), Shane Victorino and Ryan Dempster all have great talent, but what makes them special is their ability to be that leader in the clubhouse. They are all upbeat players who love the game of baseball and want to play their hearts out ever night they are out there.

The bonus of having them on this team is getting rid of the mantra that the Red Sox have bad clubhouse chemistry. With these three added players, the clubhouse will be back to a safe haven that most players will be able to get along and there will be little or no conflicts between teammates.

Filled Holes

The Red Sox had multiple holes coming into the offseason.

The Sox needed two outfielders and they signed Johnny Gomes and Shane Victorino to play the corner outfield spots. Yes, they overpaid Victorino for less years, but what makes him great is his great glove in the field and he has plenty of upside coming to Fenway Park.

The final spot in the starting rotation was vacant and that was filled with Dempster. Some fans may feel as if he can’t handle the American League, but he did fairly well besides his first three starts with the Texas Rangers, when he had an ERA over 8.00. He will be a solid third starter in the AL East.

With the addition of Koji Uehara, the bullpen now has that quality setup man they were lacking for most of the 2012 season. He has pitched well for the Baltimore Orioles and Rangers the past four seasons and could potentially close if Andrew Bailey needs a day off every once and a while.

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