Red Sox Notes: Crawford in RF?, Allard Baird, Lineup Projection, Sustainability

Checking in with Boston, where it's slowly dawning on the fans exactly what having an Allard Baird with influence in the clubhouse means, where the fans do crazy things with UZR and look at what Crawford might do in right field (read: not crazy), with a where-are-we-now lineup projection, and a sobriety check in let's-trade-our-prospects lane:

Should Carl Crawford Play Right Field at Fenway? - Over the Monster
"In all likelihood, Carl Crawford will not see an inning of work in right field next year. There may be many good reasons for that beyond physical considerations like his range and his arm. Still, if Boston wants to maximize both Crawford and their outfield defense, playing CC in right at home might be worth a try. On additional benefit to this unorthodox plan would be the ability to sign a right-handed hitter for the bench that can only play left, such as Pat Burrell, Marcus Thames, or Jonny Gomes. Call me crazy, but I think it could work."

Hire of Bob McClure another example of influence of Allard Baird - The Providence Journal
"The hire of McClure is only the latest example of the influence Baird has had in the Red Sox front office. Baird came aboard with the Red Sox as a special assistant after the 2006 season, and he has been credited with playing a part in numerous acquisitions -- from under-the-radar signings like Darnell McDonald and Daniel Nava to big-ticket free agent Carl Crawford last winter. He drew consistent praise from former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein for his baseball acumen and his contributions to the front office."

Checking the crystal ball on the Red Sox’ 2012 lineup - Boston Herald
"In that spirit, and with an eye toward 2012, we thought it would be a good time to pass along some projections, courtesy of the annual Bill James Handbook, for the Red Sox’ lineup, some of which were published in colleague Michael Silverman’s Sunday baseball notes."

The Red Sox, Trades, And Sustainability - Over the Monster
"This offseason, the Sox are clearly not in a mood to stop shelling out their prospects for more established talent. Mark Melancon is probably basically what the Sox hope Weiland will become, and after Thursday's rumor fest surrounding Gio Gonzalez and Andrew Bailey it seems only a matter of time before the Sox pull the trigger on another deal. But for a team that's seen so much success come from home-grown players, this has to make us question whether the Sox really know what they're doing, or if they're overreacting to 2011. Are we on the fast track to becoming the Mets with all these trade talks?"