I would say that you aren't the only one. My problem is this :
I know the Sox had a ton of holes to fill but I disagree with most of the players they picked to fill them.
1.They signed Gomes to a 2 year deal, he's only ever had 1 year deals in his whole career, why two now? And he only made $1m last year but we're giving him $5m now, why? He isnt a good fielder and IMO would be better off becoming a DH but whatever. I know Manny wasnt the greatest OF and Perhaps our LF will accept poor fielders more than most parks will but Im still not sold. They also gave him full time player pay yet he's never really been a full time player ( 2010 being really his only full time player year). I HATE platooning and much prefer paying a guy to play every day, IMO they should Only have signed him for a bench player or not at all.
2. Shane Victorino, great clubhouse guy, has some speed, good defense BUT he isnt a very good hitter and no way would I have ever have given him 3 years and for that kind of cash, no way, big mistake. Shane previously made $9.5m and he is coming off a down offensive season. No one can convince me he's worth $13m. IF I signed him at all I would have offered him maybe $10m a year for 2 years max.
3. No 1st basemen, need I say more? This whole Napoli debacle and the fact they have yet to completely walk away and acquire someone of significance to play the position is incomprehencible. Like Ive said many a time, I would have signed Napoli ( tried to) for 1-2 years, as a part time C, part time DH, part time 1st basemen and for less money. Take it or leave it.
4. Ryan Dempster. This was a Henry signing as he has had a relationship with Demp's since their time together in Florida. I dont necessarily have a problem with signing him but it should have been done as a replacement for Lackey, not with him. Demp's numbers in the AL, though limited, have not been very good and hardly warrant $13+m a year deal. I have a hard time believing he can be a solid #3 like their expecting him to be. Then you add onto the fact that he has been their ONLY SP addition makes me sick.
5. We have NO bench. I like Pedro C as the Super Utility guy but I hate the idea of having Nava & Kalish be the extra OF's, neither one is all that great in the OF and only Nava can hit but not for alot of power. Gomes & Napoli...( or players like that) should have been the bench players IMO.
6. It's worth repeating... I still really worry about this Starting rotation. This rotation is "basically" the same it has been for a few years now and the rotation has been and IMO will continue to be this team Achilles Heel, it just isnt good enough and that is why we havent been good and why we will continue to not be good. I HOPE Lester and Buchholz will improve but I wont hold my breath, I hope Doubront continues to improve but there could be that "Sophmore jinx" in play too, I already talked about Dempster, Lackey oh boy what can be said about him that hasnt been said already? dont hold your breath on him either.
IMO Ben was given a clean slate with which to build, money with which to build... and the only players who I think may excel are Drew ( and even if he doesnt it's a 1 year deal), the Hammer
( good trade IMO), and the new Ross ( curious signing considering we already have/had so many alternatives in place but I like him as a player/game caller).
So my question is why these moves? why this much money and years? why not improve the starting staff more?Pitching Wins! When will we have a real 1st basemen? Is this what we're stuck with for a bench?
Im very disappointed and expected alot more.