Boston Red Sox

Why should the Boston Red Sox continue to try and finalize a contract with a doomed Mike Napoli when there are better options on the table? That’s right, they shouldn’t.

The Boston Red Sox need to finalize their deal with Mike Napoli.

The Boston Red Sox made several free-agent signings so far this offseason. The moves have transformed the team from losers to borderline contenders in 2013.

However, if Ben Cherington truly wants to get back to playing in October, he will have to make at least one significant trade.

The Red Sox still have holes to fill for both the short and long term.

Fortunately, the farm system seems to be somewhat stocked with talent that is close to major league-ready.

This talent allows them to make trades for impact players.

Right-handed pitcher Junichi Tazawa was a rare bright spot last season in the bullpen for the Boston Red Sox, giving every sign of being the team’s closer of the future.

Once the Boston Red Sox figure things out with Mike Napoli—they may need to get the UN involved soon—all the big items on their offseason checklist will have been taken care of.

Although the Boston Red Sox are apparently exploring all options in an attempt to find a first baseman for next season, the answer is not aging free agent Bobby Abreu.

The Boston Red Sox had a terrible 2012 season with a 69-93 record. The upper management hope to bounce back with a new manager and new veteran players to get back into the postseason in 2013.

The Red Sox not only need to win more games, but pitchers and batters need to to step it up in 2013 if the team has any chance of making the playoffs.

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Somehow this winter Mike Napoli, a man who has played 511 of his 727 career games as a catcher, is being revered as a free-agent first baseman.

Either that is a shining example of how versatile of a player Napoli is, or an indictment on how poor the free-agent market is in terms of first basemen this winter.

If you chose the latter, you're correct.

The Boston Red Sox have already deemed Napoli worthy of a three-year and $39 million contract. Well, sort of.

Although the Boston Red Sox spent heavily this offseason to improve a team that lost 93 games in 2012, they could trade many of their players this summer if the team doesn't play as expected.

Heads or tails?  Heads, Adam LaRoche goes to the Boston Red Sox. Tails, he goes to the Washington Nationals.  You choose—at least that's what it seems to have come down to this offseason.