BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox took two months to hire Bobby Valentine last year, the start of a surprisingly long winter that proved to be one of the least productive in franchise history.
This year, they need to move more quickly.
An offseason that began with another managerial firing must also fill the holes in a roster that opened when the Red Sox traded Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Nick Punto and Josh Beckett to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The deal relieved Boston of $250 million in future salary obligations, but it also left them looking for key parts of the lineup.
As they head into a true rebuilding year, general manager Ben Cherington will need a new manager along with replacements for the players sent to the Dodgers.
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